Politics
2027: PDP Crisis Deepens As Top Politicians Battle For Chairmanship Seat
As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is once again embroiled in internal wrangling as a fresh power tussle over the party’s national chairmanship threatens to plunge the opposition into deeper crisis.
Several top-ranking politicians, including former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, ex-Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi, former PDP National Chairman, Kawu Baraje, and the current acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, are reportedly positioning themselves for the top job, as the party’s national convention draws near.
The elective convention, scheduled to hold on November 15 in Ibadan, is expected to produce a new National Working Committee (NWC) that will steer the party ahead of the crucial 2027 polls.
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However, the intense competition and lingering regional disputes are fueling internal discontent within the party’s ranks.
Insiders reveal that party stakeholders are quietly pushing for a consensus candidate to avoid a repeat of the 2023 election implosion that saw the PDP go into the polls divided.
While consensus may help maintain party unity, critics argue it could shut out credible aspirants and provoke further disaffection.
“The idea is to reduce friction. But the process must be inclusive and transparent,” a party source disclosed.
However, not everyone supports this approach. Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Youth Leader, warned against silencing voices under the guise of consensus.
“Let every qualified member contest. That is what internal democracy demands,” he said.
Meanwhile, other leaders, such as former Deputy National Publicity Secretary Diran Odeyemi, believe consensus, if managed well, could help the party avoid unnecessary legal battles and maintain stability.
Wike Raises Red Flag Over Zonal Crisis
Amidst the leadership contest, former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning over the PDP’s failure to recognize zonal leadership outcomes in the South-South and South-East regions.
Wike, speaking during a recent media chat, faulted the party’s silence on the Calabar congress, which produced Chief Dan Orbih as Zonal Chairman, and called for immediate recognition of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary based on court rulings.
“If they want a fresh crisis, let them ignore what happened in Calabar. I will not be part of any convention where the right things are not done,” Wike warned.
He also criticized the party’s handling of the South-East issue, where a court nullified the leadership of Ali Odefa, urging the PDP to respect judicial decisions.
However, attempts to get official reactions from top contenders were unsuccessful. Umar Damagum’s phone remained switched off, while Baraje, Gana, and Makarfi were either unavailable or declined to comment.
Nevertheless, political analysts believe behind-the-scenes lobbying and negotiations are already in motion as each camp tries to secure regional support and influence key delegates.
The PDP, through its National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, has released the convention timetable.
Sales of nomination and expression of interest forms will begin on September 3, with September 22 as the deadline for submission. Screening of aspirants is scheduled for September 30.
The convention will elect 19 NWC members, including National Chairman, National Secretary, Deputy Chairmen (North and South), National Publicity Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Organising Secretary, Legal Adviser, Auditor, Youth Leader, and Women Leader.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has mocked the PDP’s internal troubles, with its Director of Publicity Bala Ibrahim describing the party as “beyond repair.”
“The PDP is in intensive care. They are still battling leadership issues two years after the election. I doubt this convention will bring any real change,” he said.
As the PDP prepares for its make-or-break convention, questions linger over whether the party can navigate its internal crisis and produce credible leadership capable of mounting a strong challenge in 2027.
With growing calls for unity, respect for internal democracy, and recognition of zonal outcomes, the road ahead remains bumpy but not impossible to fix.
The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has cautioned its members against anti-party activities in the forthcoming National and State Assembly elections.
A government house statement released in Osogbo on Wednesday added that the party warned that all members must support Accord candidates at the polls.
Rising from a closed door stakeholders’ meeting, the party noted several reports of Accord members allegedly backing candidates from PDP, APM, APP and even APC, directing that those members or leaders caught in such acts will face severe disciplinary actions.
The meeting presided over by Governor Ademola Adeleke passed a resolution that all disagreements over selection of legislative candidates should be resolved and the party must unite behind the candidates already fielded by the party.
Under no circumstances should any Accord member be caught sponsoring or working for legislative candidates of other political parties. Such behaviour will not be tolerated, the stakeholders meeting resolved.
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The meeting further directed a small committee to work on constituencies where such abnormalities are noted and take appropriate measures to stop the menace and even sanction the culprits if they persist in such anti-party conduct.
The Accord leadership in the state was also directed to activate monitoring actions to identify those involved in such conduct and call them to order as urgently as possible.
Meanwhile, Gov Adeleke used the Forum to register his gratitude to party members for their steadfast support during the turbulent electioneering process.
“I am deeply grateful to our party members for their depth of loyalty and courageous disposition throughout the democratic struggle. Osun people trusted us and they fought for us under the divine direction of God Almighty.
“We praise God Almighty, the courageous people of Osun state, the electoral commission and you, our loyal party members and leaders. I will remain steadfast in my commitment to the people, the party and God almighty.
“I task us to support our party candidates in the forthcoming legislative elections. We must avoid anti-party activities. Severe sanction awaits any party member who works against the candidates of the party.
“I have also tasked our candidates to reach out to all segments of the party. We must run an inclusive campaign. All shades of opinion must be mobilised for resounding success in future elections”, the governor admonished leaders at the stakeholders’ forum.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over a fake online recruitment notice claiming that the commission has commenced the recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff ahead of the 2027 General Election.
INEC issued the warning on Monday, August 31, 2026, following the circulation of a message online directing prospective applicants to a website purportedly created for the recruitment exercise.
The electoral commission dismissed the information as false, stressing that the recruitment notice and website did not originate from it.
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In a statement, INEC said, “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a message circulating online claiming that the Commission is currently recruiting and training ad-hoc staff for the 2027 General Election.”
The commission further clarified that the website being circulated is not its official recruitment portal.
“This information is not from INEC. The website/link being circulated is NOT an official INEC recruitment portal,” INEC stated.
The electoral body warned Nigerians against clicking on the link or providing personal information through the platform, particularly as fraudulent recruitment websites can be used to obtain sensitive details or solicit payments.
“Members of the public are strongly advised NOT to click on the link, submit personal information, upload documents or make any payment through the platform,” the commission warned.
INEC advised members of the public to rely only on its verified communication channels and official websites for information concerning recruitment and election-related activities.
“INEC’s official recruitment and election-related announcements are published through the Commission’s verified communication channels and official websites,” it said.
The commission directed Nigerians seeking authentic information to visit its official website, inecnigeria.org.
INEC also noted that it had previously warned the public about fraudulent websites and fake recruitment advertisements purporting to originate from the commission.
The electoral body urged Nigerians to disregard the latest notice and avoid further circulating it.
“Please disregard and do not circulate this false recruitment notice,” INEC said.
The commission concluded its warning with an appeal to Nigerians to verify the authenticity of online information before clicking on links or submitting personal details.
“Stay informed. Stay safe. Always verify before you click,” INEC stated.
Several opposition political leaders and prominent figures have converged on Abuja for a summit aimed at forging a united front ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The meeting, being held at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, attracted notable opposition figures including the Peoples Redemption Party presidential candidate, Donald Duke; Social Democratic Party presidential candidate, Adewale Adebayo; and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu.
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The summit was convened by political pressure group G-100 as part of efforts to bring opposition parties together to mount a stronger challenge against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
Also attending the gathering are the Allied Peoples Movement vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura; PRP National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed; SDP vice-presidential candidate, Usman Bugaje; and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi.
The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, and G-100 Convener, Salihu Lukman, are also among those participating in the summit.
Welcoming the dignitaries, Lukman urged opposition parties to put aside their differences and work towards a common objective of advancing the interests of Nigerians.
He stressed that the proposed cooperation was not about forcing political parties to dissolve or abandon their identities, but about creating a platform where they could work together towards a shared goal.
“We are not asking any political party to dissolve. Let us agree that we must build the table before negotiating the seats,” Lukman said.
The summit comes amid increasing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition parties and political actors exploring possible alliances and coalition arrangements.
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