The road to Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election is already heating up inside the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the tension is palpable.

The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has issued a stern warning to members openly backing President Bola Tinubu for a second term, branding such actions as anti-party and a direct threat to the PDP’s survival.

While the NWC didn’t name names, the list is no secret. Top figures like FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, ex-Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose, Ogun PDP leader Ladi Adebutu, and Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke have all, at different times, voiced support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

PDP’s spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, said such endorsements violate the party’s constitution and are causing “division, disaffection, and a dangerous haemorrhaging of members.” The NWC warned that if these politicians don’t “retrace their steps,” tougher sanctions, including expulsion, could follow.

This internal clash comes amid growing speculation about a Goodluck Jonathan comeback. Former PDP Deputy Chairman Bode George has openly declared Jonathan “highly qualified” to run again, calling him the party’s “easiest sell” due to his past track record.

Insiders say a northern governor, once a minister under Jonathan, is quietly lobbying to bring him back as the PDP’s flag bearer in 2027, with himself as a potential running mate. The PDP’s National Executive Committee has already zoned the 2027 presidential ticket to the South, making Jonathan’s candidacy technically possible, though legal debates over constitutional limits linger.

Adding to the drama, Jonathan’s wife, Patience Jonathan, recently poured cold water on the idea of her husband’s return, pledging full support to Tinubu and stressing her belief in “turn by turn” leadership.

Meanwhile, party elder and former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido is taking a hardline stance, calling for the immediate expulsion of Wike, Ortom, and others he accuses of betraying the PDP during the 2023 elections.

With political alliances shifting, personal ambitions clashing, and old grudges resurfacing, the PDP’s road to 2027 looks set to be as stormy as the election itself.