PRP primary crisis has escalated after the presidential campaign organisation of Dr Nnaoke Ufere rejected the outcome of the Peoples Redemption Party presidential primary held on May 25, 2026, and demanded a fresh election. The campaign alleged widespread irregularities, including vote inflation, phantom ballots, administrative failures, and manipulation of voter registers in favour of former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke. The growing PRP primary crisis has now placed the party under intense scrutiny ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Peoples Redemption Party conducted its presidential primary on May 25 as part of preparations for the 2027 elections. Three aspirants had earlier been cleared by the party to contest the primary. They included Dr Nnaoke Ufere from Abia State, Engr. Yakubu Mohammed Kingsley from Edo State, and former Cross River governor Donald Duke.
The PRP had in recent months faced internal tensions linked to leadership disagreements and concerns over party control ahead of the next election cycle. The latest PRP primary crisis has further exposed divisions within the party over internal democracy and electoral transparency.
In a statement signed by Ishaq Alhassan, Executive Director of the Ufere2027 Presidential Campaign Organisation, the campaign accused party officials of manipulating results beyond the limits of the official membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission on May 4, 2026.
According to the campaign, arithmetic inconsistencies in several states showed declared votes exceeding the total number of registered members on the INEC-approved register. The statement cited Gombe State, where a register containing 348 members allegedly produced 1,431 declared votes, representing what the campaign described as 311 per cent inflation.
In Bauchi State, the campaign claimed that 593 registered members produced 760 votes, while in Kwara State, 55 registered members reportedly produced 82 votes. Across the three states combined, the campaign alleged that 996 registered members generated 2,273 votes, leaving what it described as 1,277 “phantom ballots.”
The PRP primary crisis deepened further after the Ufere campaign alleged that Donald Duke joined the party only days before the primary, did not publicly campaign, and was reportedly outside Nigeria during the exercise. The campaign contrasted this with Ufere’s nationwide mobilisation efforts across all 36 states and the FCT, including voter registration sponsorship, women mobilisation programmes, and logistics support for grassroots members.
The statement also alleged that some individuals demanded millions of naira in exchange for delivering votes to Ufere, offers it said he rejected. The campaign further claimed that contestants paid more than ₦500,000 to PRP state chairmen to influence voting outcomes.
The PRP primary crisis worsened after allegations that INEC officials were absent or delayed in multiple locations, with some FCT members reportedly waiting five hours before voting commenced. The campaign also accused party leadership of failing to release approved election funds to several states and local government areas.
The Ufere campaign additionally alleged that armed groups carrying knives appeared at a polling location in the FCT late during the exercise to intimidate voters. It also rejected what it described as an attempt to replace the original INEC-approved register of 7,787 members with a new register dated May 25 containing 12,378 names, representing an increase of 4,591 members after voting had begun.
The unfolding PRP primary crisis could significantly affect party unity and preparations ahead of the 2027 elections. Political analysts note that unresolved disputes over primary elections often weaken party credibility and trigger prolonged factional conflicts.
The controversy may also intensify scrutiny of internal democracy practices within smaller political parties seeking stronger national relevance ahead of the next election cycle. PRP primary crisis has additionally renewed discussions about transparency in party primaries, voter accreditation systems, and enforcement of electoral guidelines within party structures.
