The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the presidential nomination of former President Goodluck Jonathan submitted by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki.
INEC said it does not accept candidate nominations outside its official electronic portal. The commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, stated that all submissions must comply strictly with its guidelines.
The Turaki-led faction had earlier claimed it manually submitted Jonathan’s nomination and a full list of candidates for the 2027 general elections. However, INEC maintained that such a method is invalid.
Responding, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the group opted for manual submission after INEC allegedly failed to provide access codes required for the electronic process. He argued that the codes are administrative, not a legal requirement under the Electoral Act 2026.
Ememobong also claimed INEC acknowledged receipt of the documents and warned the commission against publishing any candidate list that excludes their submissions. He added that the faction would pursue legal action if necessary.
The dispute is part of a broader leadership crisis within the PDP, with multiple factions laying claim to the party’s structure. The Turaki group insists it represents the legitimate leadership following decisions by the party’s Board of Trustees and a National Executive Committee meeting.
The faction also accused INEC of bias and alleged attempts to undermine opposition parties, warning that such actions could weaken Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
INEC has yet to officially recognize any faction amid the ongoing internal crisis within the PDP.
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