A civil society organisation, Defence for Democracy (DFD), has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to review its choice of candidate for the 2027 Enugu State governorship election, urging the party to back Chief Samson Chukwu Nnamani instead of former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, whose alleged forgery case is currently before the courts.
The group argued that the pending criminal trial involving Nnaji could pose a significant political burden for the opposition party and weaken its chances in a state widely regarded as one of its strongest electoral bases.
In a statement signed by its National President, Dr. Emeka Nwachukwu, DFD appealed to the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and leading stakeholders, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to adopt what it described as a more strategic approach to the party’s governorship ticket.
The organisation’s position follows the arraignment of Nnaji by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of forgery. The matter is pending before an Abuja court, and no judgment has been delivered.
While acknowledging that the former minister remains legally presumed innocent until proven guilty, DFD maintained that the existence of the case alone could become a recurring campaign issue and expose the PDP to avoidable political risks.
According to the group, the party still has the opportunity, through its internal nomination and substitution processes, to present a candidate who would not be distracted by ongoing litigation.
It warned that opponents could exploit the pending case to challenge both the credibility of the PDP and any electoral victory secured by its candidate.
Describing Chief Samson Chukwu Nnamani as a stronger option, the group said he possesses an unblemished public record and has fulfilled the requirements expected of aspirants under the Electoral Act and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
“The people of Enugu deserve leadership that inspires confidence and is free from avoidable controversy,” the statement said.
“We raised these concerns earlier because we want the PDP to remain competitive. The commencement of criminal proceedings has only reinforced our fears that the party could be entering the election with unnecessary baggage.”
DFD therefore urged the PDP leadership to put the party’s electoral fortunes ahead of individual interests by presenting what it described as a candidate with greater public credibility.
The allegations against Uche Geoffrey Nnaji remain before the court, and he continues to enjoy the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.