PDP Loses Nasarawa Candidate as Nigerian Parties Face Internal Turmoil Ahead of 2027 Elections
Former PDP gubernatorial candidate David Ombugadu has resigned citing leadership disputes, while opposition parties struggle to meet INEC membership registration deadlines and internal conflicts threaten party cohesion.
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Nigeria's opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered a significant defection as former Nasarawa State gubernatorial candidate David Emmanuel Ombugadu resigned from the party, citing ongoing leadership conflicts and internal disputes that have plagued the organization ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a resignation letter dated February 28, 2026, and addressed to the Ward Chairman of Ika Wangibi Ward in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area, Ombugadu attributed his departure to "internal conflicts and leadership crisis" within the opposition party, according to Daily Trust. The resignation marks a notable loss for the PDP, which has been working to consolidate support in the Middle Belt state.
The defection comes as opposition parties across Nigeria scramble to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) deadline for updating their membership registers, a mandatory requirement for participating in the 2027 elections. Daily Trust reported that major opposition parties are "currently struggling to meet up" with the registration deadline, raising concerns about their organizational capacity heading into the electoral cycle.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) faces its own internal tensions. Governors elected on the party's platform are reportedly moving to "clip lawmakers' wings" following perceived betrayals over recent Electoral Act amendments, according to Naija News. The power struggle reflects broader fractures within the ruling party as various factions position themselves for the upcoming elections.
In Ogun State, Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, declared she would "fight" to secure the APC gubernatorial ticket and was "not in the 2027 Ogun State governorship race to step down for any aspirant," Naija News reported. Her statement signals intensifying competition for party nominations across multiple states.
The political maneuvering extends beyond the major parties. Usani Uguru Usani, National Vice-Chairman South-South of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), clarified that voice vote support for former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi's 2027 presidential ambition "does not foreclose support for other aspirants," according to Daily Trust, suggesting potential primary contests within smaller opposition parties.
House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen defended the National Assembly's decision to include both electronic and manual result transmission methods in the amended Electoral Act 2026, citing inadequate internet penetration across Nigeria. The dual system aims to "avoid disenfranchising the Nigerian electorate and prevent voter apathy during the 2027 elections," Daily Trust reported, though the provision has drawn criticism from some quarters as potentially enabling electoral manipulation.