The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kebbi State is facing a major political setback ahead of the 2027 general elections.
DAILY POST reports that the party is absent from the final list of governorship candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The development leaves the PDP without a listed governorship candidate for the January 16, 2027, election, while the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, are among the parties whose candidates appear on the list.
The omission raises questions about the PDP’s ability to remain a major opposition force in the state.
DAILY POST gathered that the development comes amid persistent disagreements within the party, defections by prominent members, and conflicting positions among its stakeholders over the forthcoming governorship election.
INEC’s final list contains 14 governorship candidates representing different political parties.
Governor Nasir Idris is listed as the APC candidate, while former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is listed as the ADC candidate.
Other candidates include Basiru Musa of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Umar Faruk of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), alongside candidates from other parties.
PDP’s absence from the list is significant given its history as one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties and its previous participation in governorship elections in Kebbi State.
However, the precise circumstances surrounding the party’s failure to secure a place on the final list remain unclear.
However, findings by DAILY POST indicate that the omission comes amid the internal disagreements that have affected the party’s structure in the state.
The PDP has also witnessed defections by prominent members, with some political figures joining the APC and ADC ahead of the 2027 elections.
PDP members’ conflicting positions on Gov Idris’s second term
One of the notable developments occurred in August, when a group of PDP stakeholders led by former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (retd.), declared support for Governor Idris’s second-term ambition.
The group cited the governor’s performance in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and empowerment programmes as reasons for backing his re-election bid.
However, the state PDP chairman, Usman Bello Suru, rejected the endorsement, insisting that the group’s position did not represent the party’s official stance.
The disagreement exposed divisions among party stakeholders over Idris’s re-election bid and raised questions about the PDP’s political direction ahead of the polls.
While some prominent members backed the governor, the state leadership maintained that the party had selected candidates for the various elective positions.
The party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Maj.-Gen. Bello Sarkin Yaki (retd.), also declared support for Idris in August, saying he had yet to identify another individual whose leadership qualities, integrity, and record of service could be compared with those of the incumbent governor.
Sarkin Yaki made the remarks while receiving the Kebbi State Governor’s Media Team, led by the Commissioner for Information, Yakubu Ahmed BK, during a courtesy visit.
He urged those opposed to Idris’s continuity to reconsider their position, arguing that some critics were pursuing personal political interests.
The conflicting positions among PDP stakeholders have added to the uncertainty surrounding the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
ADC positions itself as opposition challenger
Meanwhile, Malami has emerged as a prominent opposition figure in the emerging contest, with the ADC positioning itself to challenge the ruling APC.
In August, the party inaugurated more than 600 members of its campaign council in Kebbi State as part of its preparations for the election.
The Kebbi ADC has also expressed confidence in its ability to challenge the ruling party and unseat Governor Idris.
Its campaign activities have placed Malami among the prominent opposition figures seeking to contest the governorship election.
2027: APC, ADC set for battle as INEC excludes PDP from Kebbi guber candidates list