A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has chosen its vice-presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to sources within the party, the PDP presidential candidate, Sandy Onor, has settled on the party’s National Vice-Chairman (North-East), Babangida Umaru, as his running mate following extensive consultations with key stakeholders.

A senior member of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the decision was reached after wide deliberations. The source further revealed that the details of both candidates have already been uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal.

“We deliberated and consulted widely. After the consultations, the presidential candidate and the NWC agreed on Babangida Umaru as the vice-presidential candidate. His details have been uploaded,” the source stated.

INEC had earlier fixed 6:00 p.m. on July 11, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit nomination forms for presidential and National Assembly candidates via its online portal. The submission process, which commenced on June 27, involves Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E, in line with Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The commission also announced that the submission of nomination forms for governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates will begin on July 18 and end on August 8, 2026.

Confirming the development, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Jungudo, stated that the party had successfully completed the upload of its National Assembly candidates. He also confirmed that the presidential and vice-presidential candidates’ details had been submitted, though he declined to officially disclose the identity of the running mate.

“We have successfully completed the National Assembly uploads and everything is going smoothly. We have also uploaded the presidential and vice-presidential candidates,” Jungudo said.

He, however, cautioned against relying on unofficial sources for confirmation of the vice-presidential candidate, noting that only statements from the party’s national chairman or himself should be considered authoritative.

Jungudo further revealed that the party’s next focus would be the nomination of governorship and State Assembly candidates, after which campaign structures would be put in place.

“Uploading candidates is a major milestone. Once we conclude the governorship and State Assembly nominations, we will move to the next phase, which includes setting up campaign committees and preparing for the official commencement of campaigns,” he explained.

Expressing confidence in the party’s readiness, Jungudo maintained that ongoing legal challenges would not hinder its preparations.

“We are fully prepared, and the legal issues will not serve as a distraction. Everything is progressing well and soon we will unveil the committees that will drive our campaign to victory,” he added.

He also urged party candidates to strengthen their grassroots engagement, emphasizing the need for proactive efforts in securing electoral success.

“Our candidates must intensify their efforts. As rightly said, power is not given on a platter; it must be fought for,” he concluded.