The Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has ruled out supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, insisting that the party’s role as an opposition platform is to offer Nigerians an alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The faction also dismissed calls by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for PDP candidates to dismantle their political structures and support Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee, Comrade Ini Ememobong.
The faction argued that Wike’s appeal was not directed at what it described as genuine PDP members but at individuals allegedly working for the ruling party while claiming membership of the opposition.
According to the statement, the call for PDP candidates to support Tinubu was consistent with Wike’s political position and did not represent the interests of loyal party members.
It maintained that committed PDP members would not endorse the APC-led Federal Government or its policies, which it criticised as harmful to the country.
“The paramount duty of the opposition is to provide an alternative to the incumbent, not to massage their ego,” the faction stated.
It further argued that any coalition involving opposition parties should be built among opposition platforms rather than through an alliance with the ruling party.
The Turaki-led faction also condemned what it described as a “rainbow coalition” involving opposition figures and the APC, warning that the arrangement could undermine electoral democracy and weaken political competition.
It characterised the development as a threat to Nigeria’s democratic system, alleging that elite political compromises could pave the way for a situation in which electoral competition becomes increasingly ineffective.
On the protracted leadership crisis within the PDP, the faction urged members to remain loyal to the party while awaiting the judgment of the Court of Appeal on its ongoing legal battle.
The statement disclosed that the case had been heard and that the faction was awaiting the court’s decision, expressing confidence that the judgment would resolve the dispute in its favour.
It called on party members to remain steadfast, expressing hope that the judiciary would restore the party’s leadership to what it considers its legitimate owners.
The faction also cautioned Nigerians against what it described as elite accommodation and state capture disguised as broad-based political collaboration.
It said the 2027 general election would offer voters an opportunity to reject political leaders it accused of insensitivity and irresponsibility.
