May 27, 2026 | Politics | By SUNTV Global Channel Correspondent
Fresh divisions have emerged within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the endorsement of Senator Sandy Onor as the consensus presidential candidate of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The latest development comes just days after the rival Kabiru Turaki-led faction adopted former President Goodluck Jonathan as its preferred presidential candidate for the same election, further exposing the growing internal crisis rocking Nigeria’s main opposition party.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja during the collation and presentation of the faction’s presidential primary results.
Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who chaired the PDP Presidential Primaries Collation Committee, officially presented Senator Sandy Onor as the faction’s consensus candidate after consultations and voice votes reportedly conducted among party members across the country.
According to members of the committee, the exercise followed extensive engagements with stakeholders and party loyalists across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Senator Onor, a former governorship candidate in Cross River State, emerged as the sole aspirant after formally declaring interest in the 2027 presidential race and obtaining his nomination forms earlier this month.
Speaking during the exercise, Ortom stated that the committee arrived at the consensus decision after wide consultations aimed at strengthening the party ahead of the next general election.
Following the announcement, party leaders of the faction presented Onor with a certificate of return alongside the PDP flag as its presidential candidate.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including National Commissioners Abdullahi Zuru and Professor Rhoda Habor Gumus, were reportedly present to monitor the exercise at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
The development comes barely one week after the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of the PDP announced former President Goodluck Jonathan as its own consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
During a screening exercise held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja on May 19, the Turaki-led faction reportedly granted Jonathan an automatic ticket and exempted him from the party’s normal screening procedures.
Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, who spoke on behalf of the committee, said the waiver granted to Jonathan was a special consideration ahead of the election.
The emergence of separate presidential candidates from rival factions has intensified uncertainty surrounding the PDP’s internal leadership crisis, with both camps laying claim to the party’s structure and nomination authority ahead of the 2027 polls.
Political observers say the parallel endorsements of Sandy Onor and Goodluck Jonathan may further complicate reconciliation efforts within the opposition party as preparations for the next electoral cycle continue.
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