- Daboikiabo Warmate had stated that the PDP would not support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027
- He had clarified that Nyesom Wike’s comments reflected a personal opinion, not the party’s official stance
- The PDP had reaffirmed its plan to field a credible southern candidate while rebuilding internal unity
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Daboikiabo Warmate, has reaffirmed that the party will not endorse the re-election of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Warmate made this known on Friday during an interview on Trust TV, where he addressed ongoing political discussions about possible alliances and endorsements. He stressed that the PDP remains committed to presenting its own presidential candidate rather than backing the incumbent from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“That position to support President Tinubu is just a personal position of the FCT Minister. It’s not the position of the party,” Warmate said, referring to remarks previously attributed to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
He emphasised that the PDP’s official stance is to produce a credible presidential candidate, particularly from the southern region, in line with its zoning arrangement. “The PDP position is that we will produce a presidential candidate from the South. So we are not considering endorsing the sitting president in the APC,” he added.
Warmate further clarified that while Wike is entitled to his personal opinion, it does not reflect the collective position of the party. According to him, the PDP remains focused on rebuilding internal cohesion and addressing the issues that contributed to its recent internal crisis.
“But what PDP stands for is for us to produce a credible candidate from the south, having zoned the presidency to the south and putting into consideration what led to this crisis,” he stated.
The comments come amid intensifying political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 elections, with parties and key stakeholders clarifying their positions on alliances, zoning, and candidate selection. Analysts believe the PDP’s insistence on fielding its own candidate signals its determination to remain a major contender in the next presidential race, despite internal divisions and competing interests within its ranks.