The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stern warning to members openly endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, vowing stiff sanctions against those engaging in “anti-party activities.”
In a statement on Friday signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, its National Working Committee (NWC) said it was alarmed by persistent public declarations of support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate from prominent members, in violation of the party’s constitution.
“Such anti-party activities have continued to impact negatively on the PDP, leading to division, disaffection and heavy hemorrhaging of members, with the capacity to diminish our party’s electoral fortune if not immediately checked,” the statement noted.
Citing Section 10(6) of the PDP Constitution, which forbids members from aligning with other parties to undermine the PDP, the NWC warned that those involved must “retrace their steps or face stiff sanctions” under Section 59(1).
It urged members to remain loyal ahead of the party’s national convention slated for November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State. The warning came amid a growing list of PDP figures and state chapters pledging support for Tinubu despite the fact that the President belongs to the rival APC.
Leading the pack of endorsement during his monthly media chat, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had declared himself a “key asset” to Tinubu’s re-election campaign and promised to lead the president’s 2027 efforts in Rivers State.
“I’m not a liability. I’m an asset. Whether you like me or not, I’m an asset to making sure Tinubu wins a second tenure,” Wike said during a live media chat in Abuja. He vowed that Tinubu, who secured less than 10 per cent of the votes cast in Rivers in 2023, would record a decisive victory there in 2027.
In Ogun State, PDP chairman, Abayomi Tella, and the 2023 governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, also endorsed Tinubu during a by-election campaign flag-off in Sagamu on August 5.
Tella described the President as “a son of the South-West” deserving of regional support, while Adebutu said the party harboured no ill will towards Tinubu’s leadership.
Similarly, on July 22, the Osun State PDP caucus, led by Governor Ademola Adeleke, adopted Tinubu as its preferred candidate, citing his ancestral ties to the state.
The move sparked speculation about Adeleke defecting to the APC ahead of the 2026 governorship election, though the caucus insisted he remains committed to the PDP.
