Turaki-Led PDP Faction Blocks Support for Tinubu's 2027 Re-election

Kabiru Turaki's faction within the Peoples Democratic Party has decisively ruled out any endorsement of President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election efforts. On Tuesday, the group addressed statements attributed to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who reportedly called on party members and candidates to dissolve their political structures and throw support behind the president's second-term ambitions.

Ini Ememobong, serving as the faction's National Publicity Secretary, released a formal statement articulating the group's stance. The Turaki-aligned faction contended that Wike's overture contradicts the core function of opposition politics.

It holds that the PDP exists fundamentally to offer voters an alternative choice to the ruling All Progressives Congress, not to bolster its sitting president. According to the faction, Wike's message does not reflect authentic PDP membership, instead representing a departure from established party principles.

The faction additionally opposed what it termed a 'rainbow coalition' under which opposition parties would align with the Tinubu government. In its view, any alliance forged by opposition organizations should aim at contesting the APC's electoral dominance, not cementing its institutional dominance.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining an oppositional stance amid persisting internal party disputes. The Turaki faction's pronouncement arrives as the PDP confronts substantial internal divisions.

The party currently anticipates court rulings concerning its leadership arrangements, with competing factions asserting competing claims to legitimacy. Wike, a significant figure within the PDP who currently occupies a position in Tinubu's government, has demonstrated receptiveness toward working alongside the current administration.