By Baba Martins Musa Luka Musa (Abuja) Abubakar Abdullahi (Lafia) Hope Abah, (Makurdi) Umar Dankano (Yola) Hassan Ibrahim, (Bauchi) Magaji lsa Hunkuyi, Jalingo

Following Wednesday’s issuance of certificates of Return to candidates of the two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the battle for authenticity has shifted to the states as rival candidates display their certificates.

The crisis within the party over who is the authentic leadership of the party has continued despite a recent Supreme Court judgement on the matter as both factions have continued to claim that the verdict favours them.

Daily Trust reports that the factions backed by the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike held its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting on Wednesday while the one led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki held its Interim National Working Committee and Board of Trustees meeting on the same day.

The two factions used the opportunity to present Certificates of Return to governorship candidates across the 28 states where governorship elections are holding in 2027.

Candidates for Senate, House of Representatives and State Assemblies are expected to pick their certificates in their respective states.

Our correspondent found out that no date has yet been fixed for the collection of certificates in the respective states

National Organizing Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee, of the Turaki faction, Theophilus Dakas Shan, explained to our correspondent that the remaining successful candidates would have to go to their respective states to collect the document at dates to be fixed by the state chairmen of the party.

Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Wike faction, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed were not fruitful as he was not picking his calls.

Our correspondents observed that even as the states are yet to commence the exercise, the fight between the governorship candidates of the two factions has trickled down to the states as members of both factions are presenting themselves to the electorate and their supporters as flag bearers of the party.

Situation in the states

In Plateau State, pictures of Kefas Wungak Ropshik popularly known as Kefiano is being circulated as the governorship candidate of the PDP. He belongs to the Wike faction of the party while the Turaki-led faction is flaunting a former APC governorship aspirant, Sunday Garba Biggs.

In Adamawa State, our correspondents report that Chief Maurice Vonobolki is the candidate anointed by the Nyesom Wike faction while Caleb Andrew Myabangara is believed to be loyal to the Turaki faction.

Both Vonobolki and Caleb continue parading themselves as the righful candidates for Adamawa state.

Supporters of the party (PDP) are thrown in to confusion with the appearance of Maurice Vonobolki and Caleb Andrew as the gubernatorial candidates of the party PDP with each slashing his certificate of return to his supporters in the state.

Acting Organizing Secretary of the party in the state, John Musa however insists Vonobolki is the only guber-candidate who officially identified with the party in the state.

Our correspondents also report that in Gombe State, Isa Ibrahim Pantami received his certificate from the faction backed by Wike, while Ahmed Yayari got his from Kabiru Turaki faction.

In Kwara, Engr Suleiman Bolakale Kawu received the certificate the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction while Alhaji Ladi Hassan reportedly received a separate Certificate of Return from the Tanimu Turaki-led faction.

In Benue, the emergence of two governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also caused disquiet among the political circle.

Our correspondent reports that for a long while after the primaries, Chief Michael Aondoakaa remained the known candidate but recently, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, a former PDP chairman in the state also emerged.

Aondoakaa, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice had emerged the party’s flag bearer under the Wike-led faction through a consensus arrangement.

The Benue State chapter of the PDP has however disowned Agbo over claims that he is the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election, describing him as an impostor and political con artist.

In a statement signed by the state secretary of the party, Comrade Dan Nyikwagh, the PDP said Agbo was neither its candidate nor had he ever been recognised by the party for the 2027 governorship race.

Two gubernatorial candidates have emerged from the two factions of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State.

The Wike-led faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has presented certificate to Adamu Usman Ahmed as its governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections in Bauchi State.

While the Turaki led faction of the PDP has also presented certificate to Air Commodore Tijjani Baba Gamawa (Rtd) as their gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 general elections in Bauchi State.

Findings indicates that all the two factions are yet to unveil their running mate for their respective candidates for the election.

The PDP in Nasarawa State has also been thrown into confusion after two factions of the party produced separate governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The Wike-led faction endorsed and affirmed the party’s 2023 governorship candidate, David Emmanuel Ombugadu, as its sole candidate for 2027.

In a parallel exercise, the Turaki faction affirmed former member representing Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency, Mohammed Jafar Ibrahim, as its candidate.

Ombugadu emerged as candidate during the party primary at the state secretariat of PDP in Lafia where he was endorsed and affirmed as sole candidate of the faction, while Jafar emerged as candidate of the Turaki faction when he was affirmed during primaries held across different electoral wards in the state.

The emergence of two candidates has sparked panic among party supporters over who the authentic flag bearer will be in the 2027 polls.

Ombugadu, who flew the party’s ticket in 2023, was returned unopposed by loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike in the state.

Jafar Ibrahim, a former federal lawmaker, secured the nod of the Turaki faction in a separate congress.

Party faithful are now seeking clarity from the PDP national leadership on which faction and candidate will be recognized ahead of the general elections.

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha received certificate of return from Wike faction of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP)as gubernatorial candidate in Taraba state for 2027 general election
Senator Joel Ikenya Danlami also received certificate of return from Taruki faction of Peoples Democratic party (PDP) as gubernatorial candidate in Taraba state for 2027 general election.

In Borno, the governorship candidates fielded by both factions were presented with their certificates of return.

Speaking to our correspondent, the candidate of Turaki-led faction, who is the state Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Zanna Gazama, confirmed that he has collected the certificate of return on Wednesday.

“I collected my certificate of return and they have collected their own. We are now waiting for the federal high court to interpret the judgement of the supreme Court and the appeal court.

“That interpretation would determine who are the genuine leaders of the party. Then from there we move forward. And remember, it’s not only Borno, it’s all over,” he said.

Also, Ibrahim Abbagana, the candidate fielded by the faction led by the former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has collected his certificate of yesterday.

Factional crisis reflects political underdevelopment – Jide Ojo

A political analyst, Jide Ojo, has described the lingering leadership crisis in the PDP as a sign of political underdevelopment, warning that the party’s factional battles could create uncertainty for its members and candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on the controversy surrounding rival factions within the opposition party, Ojo lamented that political parties in Nigeria were still struggling with internal divisions despite more than two decades of democratic rule.

“Really speaking, it pertains to our level of underdevelopment that in 2026 we are still bogged down by the fragmentation of political parties,” he said.

According to him, the situation is particularly troubling given the PDP’s history as Nigeria’s ruling party for 16 years.

Ojo said the party ought to have developed stronger internal mechanisms for resolving disputes rather than allowing disagreements to degenerate into prolonged factional conflicts.

He noted that the activities of the rival camps have continued to reinforce their separate claims to legitimacy, with each side carrying on as though it is the authentic leadership of the party.

The analyst warned that the biggest challenge could arise if the courts eventually determine which faction is legally recognised.

“The challenge now is what happens if a court of superior jurisdiction eventually rules that one faction is the authentic leadership of the party. Those who emerged under the other faction may lose whatever positions or advantages they have secured,” he said.

He said such a development could trigger fresh disputes and further weaken the party at a time when political organisations should be focused on preparations for future elections.

Ojo argued that the persistent factionalisation of political parties undermines democratic development and public confidence in the political process.

“It is very unfortunate and it is a sign of underdevelopment for political parties to remain this factionalised at this period and time,” he added.

The analyst urged political actors to embrace dialogue and internal conflict-resolution mechanisms to prevent avoidable crises capable of affecting their electoral fortunes in 2027.