The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected Goodluck Jonathan’s 2027 presidential nomination submitted by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).The decision has further intensified the party’s leadership crisis ahead of the 2027 general election.
The nomination came from the Kabiru Turaki-led PDP faction.
According to daily post,the group manually submitted Jonathan’s name after INEC allegedly denied it access to the commission’s electronic candidate nomination portal.
However, INEC declined to accept the nomination. The commission explained that every political party must submit candidates through its official electronic portal. Therefore, it maintained that manual submissions do not meet the legal requirements for candidate nomination.
Meanwhile, the Turaki-led faction defended its action. It argued that the Electoral Act 2026 supports its position. In addition, the group accused INEC of refusing it access to the nomination portal because of the unresolved leadership dispute within the PDP.
Despite those claims, INEC has not changed its position. The commission insisted that all recognised political parties must follow the same nomination process before candidates can be accepted for any election.
The recognised PDP leadership also dismissed the nomination. Party officials described the submission as illegal and without legal effect. They argued that only the party’s authorised leadership has the constitutional power to nominate presidential candidates and submit their names to INEC.
Furthermore, party leaders urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly distance himself from the controversial nomination. They maintained that the submission did not represent the official position of the PDP.
As of the time of filing this report, Jonathan has not made any public statement regarding the development. Nevertheless, the controversy has added another layer to the PDP’s internal crisis as political parties continue preparations for the 2027 general election.
Political observers believe the dispute could influence the PDP’s preparations in the coming months.
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However, INEC has made it clear that every recognised political party must comply with its established nomination process before candidates can participate in the 2027 presidential election.
