Wike Backed PDP Reportedly Picks VP Candidate As Turaki’s Faction Insists On Jonathan

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reportedly selected its National Vice-Chairman for the North-East, Babangida Umaru, as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A senior member of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee disclosed that Onor and the party leadership settled for Umaru after consultations with key stakeholders.

The source, who spoke with The PUNCH on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to publicly discuss the nomination, said the details of both candidates had been uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s portal.

“We deliberated and consulted widely. After the consultations, the presidential candidate and the NWC agreed and settled on Babangida Umaru, who is currently the party’s National Vice-Chairman, North-East, as the running mate and vice-presidential candidate. His details have also been uploaded,” the source said.

Naija News understands that INEC fixed 6pm on July 11, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit nomination forms for their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online portal.

The exercise, which began on June 27, involved the submission of Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E in accordance with Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The commission also scheduled the submission of nomination forms for governorship and state Houses of Assembly candidates to begin at 9am on July 18 and end at 6pm on August 8.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Jungudo, confirmed that the party had completed the upload of its National Assembly candidates.

He also confirmed that the names of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates had been submitted but declined to officially identify the running mate.

“We have successfully completed the National Assembly uploads, and everything is going very well. We have concluded the National Assembly uploads. Nothing is left. We have also uploaded the presidential and vice-presidential candidates,” Jungudo said.

“As for the name of the vice-presidential candidate, if the information did not come from the national chairman or me, then it is not official.”

Jungudo said the party would focus next on completing the nomination of governorship and state Assembly candidates before setting up committees to coordinate its campaigns.

“Regarding our preparations, you can see that uploading candidates is one of the major steps in the process. Once we are done with the governorship and state Houses of Assembly, the next step is to await the official date for the commencement of campaigns,” he said.

“Between now and then, we are working on the various committees that will spearhead the campaigns.”

He expressed confidence that the party would perform strongly in the elections, insisting that ongoing legal disputes would not distract its leaders, candidates and supporters.

“We are very much prepared, and not even the legal issues constitute any impediment. Everything is going smoothly, and in no distant time, we will make public the various committees that will lead the campaign and take us to victory,” he added.

Jungudo urged the candidates to work closely with party leaders and stakeholders in their constituencies.

“Our candidates should tighten up. They should remember what the national leader said: nobody gives you power on a platter of gold; you have to fight for it.

“They have to sit up, do everything required of them and cooperate with all party leaders and stakeholders at every level.”

He said the PDP was targeting a majority of seats in the National Assembly and state legislatures, as well as governorship victories in at least two-thirds of the states.

“As for the presidential election, we are keeping our strategy close to our chest. However, I can tell you that our candidates are in high spirits, and I want them to maintain that spirit,” he said.

Turaki Faction Insists On Jonathan

However, the Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee rejected the Onor-Umaru ticket, insisting that former President Goodluck Jonathan remained its presidential candidate.

The faction’s Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the group was not concerned about the activities of the Wike-backed leadership operating from the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

“Jonathan remains the authentic candidate of the PDP. Or has he told anyone that he is not? No, of course not. He remains our presidential candidate,” Ememobong said.

On the faction’s lack of access to the INEC nomination portal, he said the issue would be resolved at the appropriate time.

“As for the INEC code and uploading, wait for the right time; the proper procedures will be followed, and the abnormalities will be corrected,” he said.

Ememobong accused the Federal Government of failing to provide an environment in which multi-party democracy could thrive.

He said many Nigerians had lost confidence in the electoral process because of perceptions that it had already been compromised.

“These other people at Wadata Plaza, we are not bothered about who they appointed or selected as the presidential candidate and running mate,” he added.

“We are not interested in what they are doing. That is why you see we do not respond to what they do. We do not even know what they are doing, and we do not care.”