PDP Declares Sandy Onor Presidential Candidate, Dismisses ADC Coalition

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared Senator Sandy Onor as its consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, insisting that it has overcome its internal crisis and remains the only opposition party capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking after his emergence at the party’s convention, Onor pledged to run an issue-based and pan-Nigerian campaign focused on tackling rural poverty, unemployment, and insecurity.

“Today, we have reclaimed our party, the legacy party, the Peoples Democratic Party,” he declared in his acceptance speech.

The PDP candidate said the party had moved beyond its internal divisions and was now united under purposeful and visionary leadership.

Onor also dismissed the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing it as an alliance of conflicting interests that had already collapsed.

“A couple of months ago, some people in the opposition gathered under the banner of the ADC. Many Nigerians started getting the impression that this variety of opposition forces was beginning to coalesce into something formidable.

“But the drama happened even sooner than we anticipated. Before we knew it, people began migrating out of the coalition. If you observed carefully, there was what I call the ‘Andrews Liver Salt Effect’ — like a bubble that rises suddenly and disappears within days,” he said.

According to him, the ADC had become a small regional party and could no longer pose a serious national threat.

“The point I am making is that if you are looking for any party with the capacity to contend with the ruling APC, that party is the PDP,” he added.

Onor further dismissed claims of factionalisation within the PDP, insisting that there was only one recognised party structure operating within the law.

“For some time now, the erroneous impression has been created that there are two PDPs. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he stated.

Speaking with journalists shortly after his emergence, the PDP flag bearer said his administration would prioritise rural development and economic empowerment as part of efforts to address insecurity.

“Insecurity is fundamentally a function of rural poverty,” he said, adding that unemployment and lack of opportunities had made many youths vulnerable to banditry and terrorism.

He also backed full local government autonomy, saying councils must receive their allocations directly to enable them to engage youths, support vigilante groups, and strengthen traditional institutions.

“The president was courageous enough to go to the Supreme Court and insist that local government autonomy must be settled. I will also have the courage to insist that no governor should ambush local government funds,” he said.

Onor said his experience at the local government, state executive, and National Assembly levels uniquely positioned him for the presidency.

“I’m the only candidate who has gone through the entire gamut of the political space, with experience at all levels of government,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to rise above ethnic and religious divisions, insisting that the country’s unity predated colonial amalgamation.

“We shall give Nigerians clarity and direction. We shall rise above partisanship. We shall run a campaign that will lead us to victory. The PDP will win,” he said.

Earlier, chairman of the coalition committee, Samuel Ortom, said the party worked extensively across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to arrive at a consensus candidate.

“We have worked day and night with the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure that we arrive at a consensus,” Ortom said.

Also speaking, PDP chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for monitoring the party’s activities and primary elections across the country.

He said the convention was convened mainly for endorsement because “we have only one person aspiring for the office of President in 2027.”