The forum of state chairmen for the Peoples Democratic Party has requested that former President Goodluck Jonathan publicly renounce the Interim National Working Committee led by Dr. Tanimu Turaki. This group has falsely identified Jonathan as the party’s choice for the 2027 presidential race. Austin Nwachukwu, who leads the state chairmen, stated during an Abuja press conference that the former president must stop this unauthorized use of his name.
The state leaders emphasized that Abdulrahman Mohammed remains the only legitimate National Working Committee chairman, a fact acknowledged by the Independent National Electoral Commission. While the Turaki faction attempted to submit candidate lists manually after failing to secure portal access, the official party leadership successfully registered Senator Sandy Onor as their presidential candidate via the commission’s portal. Because Jonathan does not appear on the official list of approved candidates, the chairmen argue that the electoral commission does not recognize his affiliation with this group.
The forum described the actions of the Turaki-led committee as a deception that threatens the party’s integrity and Jonathan’s reputation. They called for security agencies to investigate the group for alleged forgery and warned that their activities risk disturbing public peace. Furthermore, the group requested that Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, evaluate the status of the Garki property used by the Turaki faction for their meetings, citing concerns over potential unrest. The state leaders insisted that the official National Working Committee pursue legal avenues to stop these individuals, whom they labeled as impostors.
