Did PDP Endorse Tinubu for Second Term? Fact Emerges
- A viral X post claimed the PDP officially endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in 2027, racking up over 192,000 views
- The declaration was traced to a Nyesom Wike-backed faction within the PDP, Nigeria's former ruling party
- The PDP has faced a deep leadership crisis since 2022, fuelled by internal divisions, Wike's G-5 legacy, and rival factions
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - A post circulating on X (formerly Twitter) has presented a factional declaration within the People's Democratic Party (PDP) as an official party endorsement of President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
The post, shared by the account @abdullahayofel, claimed the PDP had formally backed Tinubu and urged its members across Nigeria to support both the president and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Source: Facebook
The post cited national unity, ongoing economic reforms, and the performance of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike as reasons for the supposed endorsement.
By July 23, 2026, the post had attracted 192,000 views, 801 likes, 265 reposts, and 225 comments.
The post on Tinubu and the PDP can be viewed below via X:
Where did the PDP claim actually come from?
Legit.ng investigated the claim after its high engagement raised concerns.
Keyword searches including 'PDP endorses Tinubu for 2027' led this reporter to reports from March 2026, which revealed that the declaration was made at a gathering of political allies aligned with Minister Wike, not at any meeting of the PDP's national executive committee (NEC), national working committee (NWC), or any other constitutionally recognised party organ.
Media reports from March 2026 confirmed that the endorsement came from the Wike-backed camp amid deep internal divisions within the PDP.
Wike himself reaffirmed his personal support for Tinubu's re-election while making clear that his position was separate from the PDP's official national stance.
The declaration was attributed specifically to a group identified as the Concerned PDP League, a faction within the broader party structure.
PDP's internal divisions ahead of 2027 elections
The claim reflects a wider split inside the opposition party. One bloc, aligned with Wike, has moved closer to the Tinubu administration despite remaining formally within the PDP. A rival bloc, associated with Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has continued to maintain the opposition role and did not endorsed Tinubu's second-term ambition.
Under the PDP constitution, decisions of this nature, such as endorsing a top presidential candidate, must go through the party's NEC or a national convention.
Besides, Sandy Onor is the presidential candidate of the Wike-led PDP, meaning the viral post misrepresented an individual's preference as the will of the entire party.
Conclusion on PDP-Tinubu claim
Legit.ng concluded that the claim is misleading.
There is no evidence that the PDP, as a party, has officially adopted any position endorsing President Tinubu's re-election in 2027.
Read more on PDP crisis
- Saraki explains why PDP’s national convention should be suspended, proposes solution
- ‘He is Wike’s man’: Ex-aide to PDP national chair slams Saraki over call to suspend convention
Solution to prolonged PDP crisis
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that ahead of the 2027 elections, Wike asked the PDP to respect the court's judgments on the party's national convention.
The PDP chieftain, who spoke in an interview on Channels Television’s 'Politics Today', monitored by Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
