2027: PDP screens lone presidential aspirant, 25 gov hopefuls
May 15, 2026 12:12 am
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The Peoples Democratic Party, on Thursday, screened its sole presidential aspirant, Sandy Onor, ahead of the 2027 general elections, alongside 25 governorship aspirants drawn from 17 states across the country.
The PDP Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, announced this at the commencement of the first-day screening for presidential and governorship aspirants held at the PDP Legacy Office in Abuja.
PDP, which had been embroiled in a prolonged crisis recently resolved by the Supreme Court, affirming the leadership of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee, is moving ahead with its processes.
The presidential screening committee is headed by former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, while former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi, chairs the committee screening governorship aspirants.
Nnorom stated, “The PDP will screen only one presidential candidate and 25 governorship aspirants from 17 states. Others are still perfecting their documentation for another screening opportunity.”
Meanwhile, Onor has backed the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as a bold step that released funds for national development.
He noted that greater accountability was needed to ensure Nigerians feel the impact of the policy.
Onor, who spoke after his screening in Abuja on Thursday, said he was not among opposition politicians who condemn every action of the current administration, stressing that honesty demanded acknowledging some of the achievements of the President.
Tinubu, on assumption of office on May 29, 2023, announced the removal of fuel subsidy and subsequently implemented the policy by ending the Federal Government’s long-standing payment of trillions of naira to keep petrol prices low for Nigerians.
Many Nigerians have, however, continued to demand accountability on how the savings from the subsidy removal have been utilised.
In response, the Presidency maintained that the policy has significantly boosted monthly federal allocations to states.
Reacting, the sole PDP presidential aspirant argued that despite the huge funds generated from the subsidy removal, those entrusted with managing and distributing the resources had failed to ensure that the benefits reached ordinary Nigerians, particularly at the grassroots level.
He stated, “On my assessment of the President’s administration, to be very honest with you, I’m not one of those persons who, because you are in the opposition, will condemn everything the President has done.
“That’s not intellectually right. That’s not even socially and politically correct. If you want people to believe you, then you must be seen to tell the truth.
“So there are some things the President has done that are very applaudable, and I will applaud the President on those things. And where he’s not doing well, I’ll say so and tell Nigerians that I will do better.
“Nigerians universally agreed that subsidy was a problem and a bastion of corruption. This president came on his very first day in office, removed the subsidy and released a lot of funds for development.
“I believe that releasing those funds is one achievement. Ensuring that the funds circulate to the people and have meaning is another.
“I think that those who are on the downlines have not done justice to the enormous funds released by the subsidy removal.
“I will ensure that accountability right up to the grassroots level is maintained, and our people feel the positive impact of subsidy removal.”
Speaking on insecurity, Onor said one of the basic issues driving it is grassroots poverty.
“We must look for ways and means of ensuring that our young men across Nigeria are meaningfully engaged. One sure way of doing that is funding local governments properly,” he said.
Onor expressed concern that, despite the Supreme Court judgment which granted autonomy to local government, funds were still not being disbursed to the third tier of government.
“And then again, let me make the point. This President had the courage to go to the Supreme Court and ask that the autonomy of local governments be guaranteed. The Supreme Court said yes. It makes sense. Funds should go directly to local governments.
“But as I speak to you, those funds are still being heavily ambushed by most state governments. It is wrong.
“When you have local governments that are not properly funded, you will have a lot of ungoverned spaces in the country. There is no space in this country that is not part of a local government.
“If you fund local governments well, they will activate their security institutions. Traditional rulers will be well taken care of. Vigilantes will be properly funded. Before these militants and marauders incubate and consolidate, they would have taken them out.
“I will ensure that local governments are properly funded. And I will ensure that youth unemployment is checked. Youth must be meaningfully engaged,” he said.
Onor said that with experience in both the executive and legislative arms of government, having served as a senator and also in the executive, he possesses a comprehensive understanding of how government operates.
Onor stated, “I know the limitations of government, and I’m ready and willing to make corrections where necessary and take Nigeria to the heights that we are yearning for.
“So I’m not bothered at all about whether we have governors in PDP presently or we do not. Some of these governors were even a problem for us. It’s good that they left.”
He expressed the belief that the campaign would be centred on the grassroots, adding that the people are yearning for a change.
“We understand where they are. We know what they are going through. We are going to speak their language, and they will understand us.
“I believe that overwhelmingly they will vote for us across this country. The governors are not voting for us.
“If I were not in this race ready to win, I wouldn’t waste my time. We are in this race to win. And we believe the PDP vehicle is solid enough,” he added.
The Nasarawa State governorship aspirant, David Ombugadu, who also appeared before the screening committee, maintained that he won the 2019 and 2023 elections, citing results on the Independent National Electoral Commission iREV portal.
He called on the media and civil society to play a stronger role in protecting votes, stressing that election integrity is a collective responsibility.
Ombugadu said his political record since 2011, including eight years in the House of Representatives, reflected a people-driven agenda focused on rural development, healthcare, water supply, and skills acquisition.
According to him, his blueprint was shaped by continuous engagement with constituents and prioritised human capital development over mere infrastructure.
Ombugadu also explained that his political realignments were aimed at delivering greater dividends of democracy, insisting he always consults his people.
On zoning in Nasarawa State, he said there was no formal rotation arrangement and maintained that leadership should be determined by performance and public preference.
Also, other governorship aspirants, including Dr Kelechi Anosike (Abia), Kayode Ogunshola (Oyo), Hazeem Gbolarumi (Oyo), Samson Nnamani (Enugu) and others reaffirmed the strength of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, pledging their commitment to delivering good governance and people-focused leadership across their respective states.
Speaking after appearing before the Makarfi-led governorship screening committee, Anosike said the people of Abia State were being short-changed, adding that if the government were performing well, he would not be in the race.
He stated, “In all six sectors of good governance, only roads can be scored at about 50 per cent, mainly short-distance roads, while the other sectors are below that. That alone gives the answer that Abia has not performed very well.
“I am in the race, and I have launched what I call Operation Feed Abia (O-F-A). I believe no citizen should go to bed hungry again.
“There will be a back-to-farm state policy where governors will have farms, and everyone will be encouraged to have farms to support local farmers and promote food security. This is the essence of Operation Feed Abia.
“I also stated that part of why I am in the race is to drive civil service reforms. Paying the minimum wage is the least that can be done. Our administration will pay far above the minimum wage. While some say it is N90,000, Abia is still struggling to pay N70,000. We will go beyond that.
“We will introduce what we call civil service care, where workers are paid above the minimum wage and also provided health insurance coverage, so that if they contribute 30 per cent, the government covers 70 per cent of their medical bills.
“Healthcare is very expensive in Nigeria, so the government must prioritise the welfare and well-being of Abians. We will also introduce what we call pension plus.
“Paying pensions should not be a burden. Those who have served the state for 35 years should also enjoy medical insurance and additional benefits. This is because they are senior citizens and deserve proper care.”
Ogunshola from Iwajowa Local Government Area of Oyo State said his economic plan focuses on strengthening SMEs, developing local industries through value addition, and expanding skills training in areas such as masonry, carpentry, and woodwork to tackle unemployment and reduce dependence on foreign labour.
He declared that his agenda includes improving rural development, education, healthcare, governance, and security, stressing that insecurity must be addressed by tackling poverty and unemployment while ensuring inclusive and transparent governance.
Another Oyo State governorship aspirant, Gbolarumi, described Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition as “inordinate,” questioning his experience and suitability for the office.
He rated Makinde zero overall, accusing him of abandoning the party that supported his rise to power, though he acknowledged some progress in governance.
Gbolarumi said the state still needed major improvements in health, education, infrastructure, and security, despite Makinde’s efforts in infrastructure development.
Nnamani criticised the ongoing smart school initiative in Enugu State, alleging that the project failed to deliver the expected impact and describing it as “fake.”
“The smart school is killing our children, and it’s damaging everywhere. The smart school is fake. It’s a fake project,” he said.
When questioned on whether he noticed the alleged shortcomings while the governor was still in the PDP or only after his political shift, the aspirant insisted that the problems had been present all along.
“It’s not that I didn’t see it before. I realised these projects were fake,” he stated.
Other governorship aspirants screened include Chief Kefas Ropshik (Plateau), Onuogbu Ogba (Abia), Dr Mustapha Sule Lamido (Jigawa), David Emmanuel (Nasarawa), Oladimeji Ali Hassan (Kwara), and Alex Ladan (Plateau).
Others were Adamu Usman Ahmed (Bauchi), Suleiman Bolatale Kawu (Kwara), and Mohammed Bello (Kano), among others.
The PDP presidential primaries are scheduled for May 26, while the governorship primaries will be held on May 24.
Abdulrahman is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with nearly a decade of professional experience covering political parties, elections, religion, civil society organizations, and the Nigeria Governors Forum. He is also a development and strategic communication expert, skilled at analyzing complex issues and delivering impactful narratives. Abdulrahman’s reporting reflects extensive newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to informative and insightful journalism.
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