The Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday revealed that it appealed a Federal High Court judgment concerning the party’s leadership and announced the submission of former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The faction also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of institutional bias and warned the electoral body against publishing candidates submitted by a rival leadership of the party.
Addressing a press conference, the National Publicity Secretary of the Interim NWC, Ini Ememobong, said the committee was constituted following a Supreme Court judgment which, according to the faction, left the PDP without a legally recognised national leadership.
He said the Board of Trustees and a National Executive Committee convened at the request of members subsequently established the interim leadership and formally notified INEC.
Ememobong said the faction approached the Federal High Court in Abuja after INEC allegedly refused to recognise the Interim NWC despite receiving its notification and several reminders.
He criticised the judgment delivered by Justice Salim Oluwasupo Ibrahim, arguing that it was inconsistent with earlier decisions of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
“The judgment delivered by Justice Salim Oluwasupo Ibrahim reads more like an appeal on the judgment of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal,” he said.
“It is clearly inconsistent with the extant decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal that form the foundation of our case.”
According to him, the judgment went beyond determining whether the earlier court decisions should be enforced and revisited issues already settled by superior courts.
He said the faction had consequently exercised its constitutional right of appeal.
The PDP spokesman also alleged that the Certified True Copy of the judgment was released after a considerable delay.
He further claimed that portions of the judgment delivered in open court were not fully reflected in the certified copy.
“This development raises legitimate concerns, which will also be addressed through the appropriate legal processes,” Ememobong said.
He expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would clarify the issues and uphold the earlier decisions of the superior courts.
Ememobong accused INEC of failing to act impartially in disputes involving the PDP.
He alleged that the commission ignored or denied congresses which it had previously monitored when acknowledging them would conflict with positions presented before the courts.
“The Commission’s filings, its arguments before the courts, and its refusal to comply with court orders favourable to our party have collectively created an impression of institutional bias,” he said.
The PDP faction warned that declining public confidence in the electoral commission could damage the legitimacy of future elections.
It also referred to a widely circulated image portraying INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, wearing a cap bearing President Bola Tinubu’s insignia.
While acknowledging that the image might have been generated using artificial intelligence, the party claimed its popularity reflected public suspicion about the commission’s neutrality.
The interim leadership urged INEC to exercise caution pending the determination of the appeal.
Ememobong said an electoral management body faced with conflicting court decisions and a pending appeal should avoid taking steps capable of prejudicing the dispute.
He warned that publishing candidates submitted by another PDP faction would deepen concerns about the commission’s neutrality.
“If the Commission proceeds to publish the names of persons other than those validly sponsored by the authentic leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, it will only deepen public concerns regarding its neutrality,” he said.
The party announced that it had manually submitted its list of candidates after INEC allegedly refused to provide the necessary access codes for electronic submission.
Ememobong argued that the access codes were merely an administrative convenience and not a legal requirement.
He said the submission was made in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026 and was formally acknowledged by the commission.
The list, according to him, included Jonathan as the presidential candidate, alongside the faction’s governorship, National Assembly and state House of Assembly candidates.
“Notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes, we have successfully submitted, manually and in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the list of candidates sponsored by the authentic Peoples Democratic Party,” he said.
He added that the submission contained “the names of our presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, as well as all governorship, National Assembly and state assembly candidates.”
The party urged members and supporters not to be discouraged if INEC publishes names other than those submitted by the Interim NWC.
It said its candidates had expressed confidence in the legal proceedings and remained committed to reclaiming the party from those it accused of attempting to weaken it from within.
Ememobong described the leadership dispute as part of a broader struggle to protect multi-party democracy and prevent opposition parties from being captured by the ruling party.
“Electoral authoritarianism is fundamentally incompatible with democratic consolidation,” he said.
“It reduces elections to mere rituals rather than genuine expressions of the people’s sovereign will.”
The faction said it would continue pursuing constitutional, legal and democratic means to secure recognition for its leadership and candidates.
“With God on our side, victory is certain, even if it is delayed,” Ememobong said.
“We understood from the very beginning that this struggle would be a marathon and not a sprint.”
