No one can transfer the PDP mandate to another party and get away with it – Turaki

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a warning on Wednesday to its candidates, urging them not to defect after securing the party’s tickets. The party announced that those whose names will be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general election must sign undertakings committing them to the PDP. It also confirmed former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.

The warning came as the opposition party presented Certificates of Return to 21 governorship candidates, declared that it had completed nominations nationwide, and signalled its readiness for the 2027 elections.

Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, chairman of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, said the party was determined to prevent a repeat of situations where candidates secured mandates on its platform and later defected to other parties.

“Nobody, moving forward, will take our mandate to another political party and get away with it. But before we submit your names to INEC, you will sign an undertaking. What happened before will not happen again,” Turaki said.

He explained that the party had carried out background checks on candidates and security screening for governorship nominees to minimise legal and integrity-related risks.

“PDP would not want a situation where, for any reason, we win the election and then that victory is taken from us at the tribunal,” he added.

Turaki disclosed that while several governorship candidates had been cleared and issued Certificates of Return, a few others were still undergoing verification after issues emerged during the screening process.

“There are still a very small number of candidates who have not yet been cleared. Issues have been raised. They are not very serious, but we consider them significant and must be resolved,” he said.

“We can proudly say that PDP will contest the election in every constituency where elections will be held in 2027. And it’s not just about contesting; it’s about contesting to win,” Turaki added.

Also speaking, Hon. Theophilus Dakas Shan, National Organising Secretary of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, disclosed that the PDP had nominated former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

“We have a presidential candidate who has completed the forms, signed them, and we nominated him the other day. That candidate is former President Goodluck Jonathan,” Shan said.

Shan said the PDP had successfully completed its nomination process despite the leadership crisis that followed the Supreme Court judgment which nullified its Ibadan convention.

According to him, the PDP has fielded 28 governorship candidates in states participating in the regular election cycle, alongside 109 senatorial candidates, 360 House of Representatives candidates, and 993 state assembly candidates.

Speaking on behalf of the PDP State Chairmen Forum, Ondo State Chairman Barr. Dupe Aisida credited the Interim National Working Committee with stabilising the party after months of internal turmoil and expressed confidence in its prospects ahead of the elections.

“Nobody believed that PDP would survive the onslaught of the marauders when this began. But fortunately for us, we are moving forward today. We are stronger, we are better, and we have all the confidence now. All my colleagues here see us. We are happy, resolute, and ready,” Aisida said.

Among those who received Governorship Certificates of Return were Lawal Mohammed Umar (Kaduna), Hassan Oladimeji Ali (Kwara), Zanna Gadama Mustapha (Borno), Ibeabuchi Ihenechukwu (Abia), Effiong Eyamba (Cross River), Sherrig Abdullahi (Yobe), Donatus Nwogbo (Enugu), Eze Alexander (Ebonyi), Etenabene Benedict (Delta), Taofeek Arapaja (Oyo), Caleb Maigbadani (Adamawa), Mohammed Ahmed Yayari (Gombe), Victor Richard (Rivers), Senator Joel Ikenya (Taraba), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Kebbi), Mohammed Ja’afaru (Nasarawa), Oladelipopu Adebisi (Ogun), Mohammed Kabir (Kano), Emmanuel Agbo (Benue), Adetokumbo Pearce (Lagos) and Sunday Garba (Plateau).