A faction of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced former Cross River senator Sandy Onor as its consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, a development that has triggered widespread reactions online and intensified discussions about the party’s internal divisions.
The announcement was reportedly made in Abuja during the collation and presentation of the faction’s presidential primary results by former Benue State governor Samuel Ortom, who chaired the primaries collation committee.
According to reports, the faction said the decision followed consultations and voice votes conducted among party members across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Onor reportedly emerged as the sole aspirant after earlier purchasing his nomination and expression of interest forms.
Following the declaration, party leaders presented Onor with a certificate of return and the PDP flag as the faction’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also reported to have monitored the exercise at the party secretariat.
The development comes amid prolonged leadership disputes and factional battles within the PDP, with rival camps continuing to contest control of the party structure since the aftermath of the 2023 elections and subsequent conventions.
Several reports linked the faction announcing Onor’s emergence to political allies of Nyesom Wike, further fueling debate over the direction and unity of the opposition party.
Videos from the event quickly began trending on social media, with supporters describing Onor as an experienced and intellectual politician capable of rebuilding the party’s image ahead of 2027.
Critics, however, questioned the legitimacy of the process and argued that the PDP’s unresolved internal crisis could weaken its ability to mount a strong national challenge against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Onor, a former senator representing Cross River Central, had earlier declared his intention to contest the presidency, presenting himself as a consensus-driven candidate focused on national rebuilding and party reconciliation.
Political analysts say the emergence of competing factions and parallel political structures within the PDP highlights the growing fragmentation currently reshaping Nigeria’s opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
