In obvious riposte to reports and insinuations in some quarters lately, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that it is not wooing former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race.
By Emma Ogbuehi
In obvious riposte to reports and insinuations in some quarters lately, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that it is not wooing former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race.
Some media platforms had lately claimed that the PDP was making offers at the former president to fly its banner in 2027 as a major strategy to battle the All Progressives Congress’ likely candidate, President Bola Tinubu. The reports had quoted PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, as saying that it would be a regrettable development if Jonathan chose another party for his presidential bid.
He was also said to have said that the PDP had been eagerly awaiting the former president’s return for a second term, stressing the party’s continued connection to Jonathan’s political rise.
But debunking the reports, Abdullahi in an interview with BBC Hausa, stated that the party did not issue its presidential ticket to Jonathan.
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He said, “The report that PDP has issued its presidential ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan or invited him to contest the 2027 presidential election is not true.
“What happened is this: I had an interview with a journalist where we discussed some issues. But in the course of the interview, he mentioned President Jonathan, asking about our opinion of him, because there are reports that he is being urged to run for the presidency.
“I responded by saying that he (Jonathan) is eligible to contest the election, because he is a Nigerian and has the right to do that by the provision of the law, and he still has one more term left. So, there is nothing wrong about him contesting the presidential election because he is eligible in the face of the law.”
Abdullahi added that PDP had done enough for Jonathan and as a member of their party, there was no way they would woo him.
He explained that they were yet to discuss the issue with Jonathan, saying that they have 12 governors and many other prominent politicians who are eligible and competent to contest the presidential election.
He added, “It wasn’t long ago that his wife said nothing would make her husband run for the presidency, that he didn’t leave behind or forget anything in the Villa for people to think that he’d come back to contest the position again. How then can we consider him? Ticket is given to someone who has shown interest.”
