A fresh political storm is brewing within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following plans by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction to adopt former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The proposed adoption is scheduled to take place today during what the faction describes as a special national convention at A Class Event Centre in Wuse 2, Abuja.
The development has sparked strong reactions from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration, with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike warning that properties used by organizations not recognized by law could face sanctions, including the revocation of land titles.
In a statement issued on Friday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike emphasized that land allocations within the FCT are designated strictly for lawful activities.
He disclosed that the administration would intensify monitoring of hotels, event centres, and public facilities to ensure they are not used for activities capable of disrupting public peace or threatening security.
According to Olayinka, operators of such facilities must verify the legal status of organizations seeking to use their premises and maintain proper records of all transactions.
He further advised hotel and event centre owners to deal only with political party leaders recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly during the ongoing political season.
The warning comes amid an ongoing leadership dispute within the PDP following a Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 30, 2026, which nullified the party’s November 2025 national convention that produced the Tanimu Turaki leadership.
The ruling effectively restored control of the party to the National Working Committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, a faction widely believed to enjoy the backing of Wike.
Reacting to reports of Jonathan’s planned adoption, the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led PDP leadership distanced itself from the exercise, insisting that the party had already concluded its presidential primaries and selected a candidate for the 2027 election.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Jagundo Haruna Mohammed, described the planned convention as unauthorized and urged former President Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from what he termed a “charade.”
He stressed that no convention, meeting, or process had been approved by any recognized organ of the PDP for the purpose of adopting a new presidential candidate.
Mohammed noted that the party had successfully conducted all its primaries in line with INEC regulations, the Electoral Act, and the PDP constitution, adding that former Senator Sandy Onor had already emerged as the party’s consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
He also called on security agencies to investigate those behind reports of Jonathan’s adoption, alleging that their actions were aimed at creating unnecessary political tension.
“The PDP will not stand by and allow unauthorized activities and misinformation to undermine the integrity of its democratic structures,” he said.
However, the Turaki group has dismissed Wike’s warning and vowed to proceed with the convention as planned.
Speaking on behalf of the faction, spokesman Ini Ememobong said the group had fully paid for the venue and duly informed relevant security agencies about the event.
He accused the FCT Minister of attempting to intimidate opposition voices and insisted that the convention would hold on Saturday as scheduled.
Ememobong maintained that Nigeria operates under the rule of law and argued that the FCT Minister lacks the legal authority to determine which political meetings can take place within the territory.
He called on party leaders, National Executive Committee members, and other stakeholders to attend the convention, where the group intends to ratify the presidential candidature of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The latest confrontation underscores the deepening divisions within the PDP as rival factions continue to battle for control of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.