The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced measures aimed at preventing elected candidates from abandoning the party after securing its mandate, declaring that all nominees whose names will be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general election must sign commitments pledging loyalty to the party.
The declaration was made on Wednesday as the party handed over Certificates of Return to 21 governorship candidates and affirmed that it had concluded its nomination process across the country.
The PDP also confirmed former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Speaking during the presentation, Chairman of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, said the party would no longer tolerate situations where candidates emerge on its platform only to defect to rival political parties after winning elections.
“Nobody, moving forward, nobody will take our mandate to another political party and get away with it.
But before we take your names to INEC, you will sign. You will sign an undertaking. What had happened before will not happen again,” Turaki said.
According to him, the party carried out extensive background investigations and security screenings on governorship aspirants to reduce the risk of legal challenges and credibility concerns after elections.
“PDP is would not want a situation where for any reason that we win the election and then that victory will be taken out from us at the tribunal,” he said.
Turaki explained that while many governorship candidates had successfully completed the screening process and received their Certificates of Return, a handful remained under review due to issues discovered during verification.
“There are still others, a very small number, that are yet to be cleared. Issues have been raised. They are not very serious issues of concern, but yet they are issues that we consider very significant, and those issues have to be cleared.
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“We can beat our chest to 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,” he said.
Also addressing party members, the National Organising Secretary of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, Hon. Theophilus Dakas Shan, announced that former President Goodluck Jonathan had emerged as the party’s presidential flagbearer.
“We have a presidential candidate who bought the forms, who signed it and we nominated him the other day. And that is the former president, Goodluck Jonathan,” he said.
Shan noted that the party successfully completed its nomination exercise despite the internal challenges that followed the Supreme Court ruling which invalidated the PDP’s Ibadan convention.
He revealed that the party had produced 28 governorship candidates in states participating in the regular electoral cycle, as well as 109 senatorial candidates, 360 candidates for the House of Representatives, and 993 candidates for state Houses of Assembly.
Representing the PDP State Chairmen Forum, the party’s Ondo State Chairman, Barr. Dupe Aisida, commended the Interim National Working Committee for steering the party through a difficult period and restoring stability ahead of the polls.
“Nobody, when this thing started, nobody believed, back then, that PDP would be able to survive the onslaught of the marauders. But fortunately for us, we are moving on today.
We are stronger, we are better, and we have all the confidence now. All my colleagues here, you can see us. We are happy, we are resolute, and we are ready,” Aisida said.
The 21 governorship candidates who received Certificates of Return include 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).