By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Wednesday warned its candidates against defecting after securing the party’s tickets, saying those whose names would be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the 2027 general election would be required to sign undertakings committing them to the party, as it 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.

Chairman of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, 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, 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.

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

“PDP 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.

He 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 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.

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

“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 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 following months of internal turmoil and expressed confidence in its prospects ahead of the elections.

“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.

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).

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