With barely six months to the commencement of party primaries for nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be in a fix. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties wishing to field candidates in the elections between July 1 and September 30, 2026 to hold primaries for the purpose of electing their flag bearers.

According to the commission’s timetable and schedule of activities for the elections, presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 20, 2027, while the governorship and state Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, March 6, 2027.

PDP at the moment is still enmeshed in leadership crisis, and INEC has refused to recognise any of the factions laying claims to the party’s leadership. The commission had two weeks ago, rejected PDP candidate for this year’s Ekiti State governorship election.

Due to the intractable leadership crisis in the party, PDP governors seeking re-election have defected to other political parties. Apart from Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who joined the Accord Party, seven other PDP governors have declared for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

At the moment, PDP has only four governors. It was rumoured that Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, as well as his Adamawa, Bauchi and Zamafara states counterparts, Ahmadu Fintiri, Bala Mohammed and Dauda Lawal, were planning to defect to the ADC.

But a source, who asked not to be named, dismissed the report. He disclosed that it was not yet certain that any of the governors will be joining the ADC in the nearest future. “Only Bala (Mohammed) is looking serious,” he said. Bauchi State chapter Chairman of the PDP, Sama’ila Adamu Burga, also dismissed the report, and said Governor Mohammed had no intention of leaving the PDP for the ADC or any other political party.

Burga in a statement on Friday, said the claim was refuted during a well-attended stakeholders’ meeting held on Sunday, January 4, which was hosted by the governor. At the meeting, the Chairman said party leaders and critical stakeholders unanimously reaffirmed their loyalty to the PDP and passed a vote of confidence on Governor Mohammed. Mohammed is the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum.

Together with Governor Mankinde, he has been the engine sustaining the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) that emerged at the party’s National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15, 2025. The duo led Turaki to the PDP National Secretariat to assume office on November 18 before the secretariat was taken over by the Nigeria Police to forestall breakdown of law and order.

According to a source, Mohammed or Makinde leaving PDP at the moment would mean conceding defeat to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, who is battling to take over the structure of the party. “I am not saying that they will not leave PDP, but not at this moment. The party’s leadership crisis is before the Court of Appeal, and it is coming up any moment from now.”

There is every likelihood that the party may align with the coalition platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC). PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Emembong, in an interview with a national television, however, ruled out possibility of merger with any political party, but assured that the party will collaborate with opposition to ensure that President Bola Tinubu does not win reelection.

Emembong had told his interviewer: “The legal period for a merger is over. However, opposition leaders are talking to themselves. When the time is ripe to decide who can best beat the incumbent, the PDP will be a very strong part of that discussion.”