Blocs loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, within the Peoples Democratic Party have stepped up moves to secure alternative political platforms amid uncertainty over candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Sources in the party told Sunday PUNCH that the blocs were weighing the All Progressives Congress and the African Democratic Congress as possible platforms for aspirants in the PDP.

The development follows growing concerns that the PDP may be unable to field candidates for the 2027 elections due to ongoing court cases over the legitimacy of the party’s two factions.

The fear was further heightened by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s rejection of the party’s Ekiti governorship candidate, Wole Oluyede, for the June 20, 2026 election.

Oluyede emerged in a primary conducted by the Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee of the PDP, loyal to Governors Makinde, Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa).

The Turaki leaders’Ip emerged during the November , 2025 convention of the party in Ibadan, Oyo State. The PDP faction backed by the FCT minister did not’conduct a primary for the election.

The two factions have been claiming legitimacy of the party’s leadership, while INEC insists they must resolve their crisis.

Meanwhile, INEC also said it will not recognise the Turaki-led NWC.

The commission said it could not recognise or update the list of PDP leaders because of the existing court orders of the Federal High Court in the cases filed by Nwachukwu and Lamido.

Unending litigations

Findings by Sunday PUNCH show that there are five ongoing court cases that will determine the leadership and future of the party, with two judgments currently at the Court of Appeal.

One of the cases, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, resulted in a judgment that suspended the party’s convention until it complies with the requirements of its constitution, the Nigerian Constitution, and the Electoral Act.

This suit was filed by three aggrieved members of the party: Austin Nwachukwu (PDP Chairman, Imo State), Amah Nnanna (PDP Chairman, Abia State), and Turnah George (PDP Secretary, South-South). The case is now pending in the Court of Appeal.

Another notable case was filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

Justice Peter Lifu had issued an order restraining INEC from supervising, monitoring, or recognising any PDP convention that excluded Lamido as a contestant. That matter is also pending before the Court of Appeal.

The remaining three cases, including one from the Oyo State High Court, challenge the legitimacy of the November 15–16 convention and others in Abuja are still being heard in the lower courts.

Overall, the two cases currently before the Court of Appeal are crucial and will decide the leadership of the party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led NWC, Ini Ememobong, confirmed that the five cases were pending in court.

Ememobong, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, expressed confidence that the Turaki-led NWC would obtain justice.

He stated, “We have two matters before the Court of Appeal and about three at the Federal High Court, but the most important ones are those at the Court of Appeal because those are appeals against final judgments.

“Our party is optimistic that we will get justice for all. We are doubly optimistic about it because even in the SDP case, the Supreme Court has reiterated its time-tested position that political matters, leadership of political parties, and how they conduct their congresses are matters that are non-justiciable, meaning that the courts do not have jurisdiction over them.

Factions seek refuge in APC, ADC

Sunday PUNCH gathered that PDP factions, unsettled by unresolved leadership disputes, protracted court cases and INEC’s decision in Ekiti, are exploring options outside the party.

A member of the Turaki-led NWC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the party was already considering an alliance with the ADC.

He acknowledged that the crisis facing the party might deny it the opportunity to field candidates for the 2027 general elections, lamenting that INEC had demonstrated its resolve to “stop the party’s chances.”

Speaking with one of our correspondents on Saturday, the PDP chieftain said, “With what INEC has done to our candidate in Ekiti State, we should not deceive ourselves; our chances of having candidates for the 2027 general elections are very slim.

“We are already taking steps so that even if some of us remain in the PDP, our candidates will be able to contest under other parties, especially the ADC.

“We may not even have a presidential candidate because, yes, we have the structure, but with the current situation, we cannot go anywhere. That is why we are already in talks with ADC leaders, and negotiations are ongoing. We cannot afford to be stranded.

“If you say we are in a dilemma, that was in the past. Now we have a clear direction, which is to form an alliance with the ADC to protect the interests of our candidates. In a short time, our negotiations with the ADC will produce a defined structure.”

Confirming this to Sunday PUNCH, a top official of the ADC said some leaders of the PDP and the ADC had met over the proposed alliance.

According to the official, the PDP leaders were from the Turaki-led faction and were willing to work with the ADC.

However, the party chieftain said no decision had been taken and no formal negotiations yet.

“The discussion is still at an early stage; nothing concrete has been decided,” he added.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, simply said, “We are open to every Nigerian willing to be part of the rescue mission.”

He declined to comment further on the matter.

Also speaking with Sunday PUNCH, a member of the NWC loyal to Wike’s bloc, Timothy Osadolor, expressed fear that even if the PDP produced a presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, the party would perform poorly.

He said the PDP would need to collaborate with a stronger opposition platform to have any real chance.

Osadolor blamed the crisis in the party on what he described as the arrogance of the governors under the platform.

“We have seen that the early Christmas party (national convention) that some of the governors went to have in Ibadan has led to nowhere. The other group has also successfully made a point that it is going to wrestle the governors to the ground if need be, and that they have done.

“For me, 2027 is already a closed matter for PDP. It is closed because whoever is thinking he is going to run on the PDP platform now must either be Jesus Christ or be more popular than Coca Cola because the damage that these governors have done to PDP will not put anybody, no matter how strong or how popular the person is in a good position to win election in 2027. But to say the PDP wants to go into the election alone is like looking for a needle in a haystack,” he said.

Osadolor suggested that the party’s best option was to seek an alternative platform that could produce a formidable candidate capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu.

He, however, dismissed the APC as a viable alternative.

“APC is not a platform; anyone supporting it is just promoting hunger, hopelessness, and frustration. On the other hand, the ADC has shown signs of being ready to take over power. With collaboration and steadiness, it could become a platform for a viable opposition.

“The best bet for the PDP or for the progressive-minded people in PDP is to seek an alternative platform for collaboration where a formidable candidate can be produced to give President Bola Tinubu a run for his money and possibly defeat APC in the next polls. I’m not close to the APC. If they (Wike bloc) are close to the APC, that is fine for them,” Osadolor added.

When contacted, the APC’s Director of Information, Bala Ibrahim, said the party had not decided to accommodate candidates from the Wike-led faction of the PDP.

He, however, suggested that the matter was under consideration.

Ibrahim said, “If you can wait maybe on Monday, the party will decide on it. I am not a member of the National Working Committee. When the NWC meets and takes a position, then I can tell you.”

PDP will unite, field candidates – Anyanwu, Ememobong

But the National Secretary of the PDP loyal to Wike, Samuel Anyanwu, dismissed claims of any negotiations with the APC, describing them as “mere speculations”.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Anyanwu said the party was on the path to resolving its crisis.

He said, “The PDP will soon resolve its crisis. I believe we are going to agree very soon and then move on with one voice. People will come back to the party, I assure you. In the next few days now, from March, APC will start having their problems because they will have their convention and congresses.”

Anyanwu reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP, adding that he would continue to fight for the unity of the party.

“I’m very close to the FCT minister, but he has made it so strongly clear that he’s going to support the PDP,” he said.

Also, a factional spokesperson for the PDP, Ememobong, dismissed the fear that the party might not field candidates for the 2027 elections.

He insisted that the party would not only field candidates but also win the elections.

Ememobong said, “PDP will field a presidential candidate and others, you can take that to the bank. I’m assuring you 100 per cent that the PDP will fully participate in the 2027 elections. We are not just going to field a presidential candidate, we will field a candidate that will win.”

He noted that the party still had time to take steps to ensure its candidates were recognised before the elections.

Ememobong expressed optimism that the party would win its court cases, adding that a favourable ruling from the Court of Appeal would confirm that the decisions taken at the Ibadan convention were valid and compel INEC to recognise the PDP’s candidates.

He, however, said the PDP remained open to working with other opposition parties.

According to him, while the immediate focus is on preparing the party and its candidates, opportunities for alliances or coalitions will be considered closer to the elections to enhance their competitiveness against the APC. (Sunday PUNCH)

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