A post circulating on X (formerly Twitter) has falsely presented a factional declaration within the People's Democratic Party (PDP) as an official party endorsement of President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid. The post, shared by the account @abdullahayofel, claimed the PDP had formally backed Tinubu and urged its members across Nigeria to support both the president and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Viral Claim and Its Reach
By July 23, 2026, the post had attracted 192,000 views, 801 likes, 265 reposts, and 225 comments. It cited national unity, ongoing economic reforms, and the performance of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike as reasons for the supposed endorsement. The high engagement prompted Legit.ng to investigate the claim.
Origin of the Endorsement
Keyword searches including 'PDP endorses Tinubu for 2027' led to reports from March 2026, which revealed that the declaration was made at a gathering of political allies aligned with Minister Wike, not at any meeting of the PDP's national executive committee (NEC), national working committee (NWC), or any other constitutionally recognised party organ. Media reports confirmed that the endorsement came from the Wike-backed camp amid deep internal divisions within the PDP.
Wike himself reaffirmed his personal support for Tinubu's re-election while making clear that his position was separate from the PDP's official national stance. The declaration was attributed specifically to a group identified as the Concerned PDP League, a faction within the broader party structure.
PDP's Internal Divisions
The claim reflects a wider split inside the opposition party. One bloc, aligned with Wike, has moved closer to the Tinubu administration despite remaining formally within the PDP. A rival bloc, associated with Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has continued to maintain the opposition role and did not endorse Tinubu's second-term ambition.
Under the PDP constitution, decisions of this nature, such as endorsing a top presidential candidate, must go through the party's NEC or a national convention. Additionally, Sandy Onor is the presidential candidate of the Wike-led PDP, meaning the viral post misrepresented an individual's preference as the will of the entire party.
Conclusion
Legit.ng concluded that the claim is misleading. There is no evidence that the PDP, as a party, has officially adopted any position endorsing President Tinubu's re-election in 2027. The viral post inaccurately portrayed a factional statement as an official party stance.
