Factions loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have intensified moves to secure alternative political platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party sources who spoke with Punch said the two blocs are weighing the All Progressives Congress and the African Democratic Congress as possible platforms for their aspirants.
The moves, sources said, are driven by fears that the PDP may be unable to field candidates for the 2027 elections due to lingering court cases over the legitimacy of its two rival factions.
The anxiety deepened following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s rejection of the party’s Ekiti governorship candidate, Wole Oluyede, for the June 20, 2026 election.
Oluyede emerged from a primary conducted by the Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee, which is aligned with Governors Makinde, Bala Mohammed, Dauda Lawal and Ahmadu Fintiri.
The Turaki-led leadership emerged from the PDP’s November 2025 convention in Ibadan, Oyo State. The faction backed by the FCT minister did not conduct a primary for the Ekiti poll, with both camps laying claim to the party’s national leadership.
INEC has repeatedly insisted that the PDP must resolve its internal crisis before it can be recognised to field candidates.
Sunday Punch gathered that, unsettled by unresolved leadership disputes, prolonged court cases and INEC’s stance in Ekiti, PDP factions are now actively exploring options outside the party.
A member of the Turaki-led NWC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that alliance talks with the ADC were already underway.
He noted that the crisis facing the party might deny it the opportunity to field candidates for the 2027 general elections, lamenting that INEC had demonstrated its resolve to stop the party’s chances.
Speaking with Punch on Saturday, the PDP chieftain said, “With what INEC has done to our candidate in Ekiti State, we should not deceive ourselves; our chances of having candidates for the 2027 general elections are very slim.
“We are already taking steps so that even if some of us remain in the PDP, our candidates will be able to contest under other parties, especially the ADC.
“We may not even have a presidential candidate because, yes, we have the structure, but with the current situation, we cannot go anywhere. That is why we are already in talks with ADC leaders, and negotiations are ongoing. We cannot afford to be stranded.
“If you say we are in a dilemma, that was in the past. Now we have a clear direction, which is to form an alliance with the ADC to protect the interests of our candidates. In a short time, our negotiations with the ADC will produce a defined structure.”
Confirming this to Sunday Punch, a top official of the ADC said some leaders of the PDP and the ADC had met over the proposed alliance.
According to the official, the PDP leaders were from the Turaki-led faction and were willing to work with the ADC.
However, the party chieftain said no decision had been taken and no formal negotiations had yet been held.
“The discussion is still at an early stage; nothing concrete has been decided,” he added.
When contacted, the ADC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said, “We are open to every Nigerian willing to be part of the rescue mission.”
Speaking with Sunday Punch, Timothy Osadolor, a member of the NWC loyal to Wike’s bloc, expressed concern that even if the PDP produced a presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, the party would perform poorly.
He said the PDP would need to collaborate with a stronger opposition platform to have any real chance.
Osadolor blamed the party crisis on what he described as the governors’ arrogance.
“We have seen that the early Christmas party (national convention) that some of the governors went to have in Ibadan has led to nowhere. The other group has also successfully made a point that it is going to wrestle the governors to the ground if need be, and that they have done.
“For me, 2027 is already a closed matter for PDP. It is closed because whoever is thinking he is going to run on the PDP platform now must either be Jesus Christ or be more popular than Coca Cola because the damage that these governors have done to PDP will not put anybody, no matter how strong or how popular the person is in a good position to win election in 2027. But to say the PDP wants to go into the election alone is like looking for a needle in a haystack,” he said.
Osadolor suggested that the party’s best option was to seek an alternative platform that could produce a formidable candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu.
He, however, dismissed the APC as a viable alternative.
“APC is not a platform; anyone supporting it is just promoting hunger, hopelessness, and frustration. On the other hand, the ADC has shown signs of being ready to take over power. With collaboration and steadiness, it could become a platform for a viable opposition.
“The best bet for the PDP or for the progressive-minded people in PDP is to seek an alternative platform for collaboration where a formidable candidate can be produced to give President Bola Tinubu a run for his money and possibly defeat APC in the next polls. I’m not close to the APC. If they (Wike bloc) are close to the APC, that is fine for them,” Osadolor added.