PDP Denies Affirming Jonathan as Presidential Candidate

The Wike-backed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Abdulraman Mohammed, has denied plans to convene a convention planned by Tanimu Turaki-led to affirm former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for 2027.

We did not plan to affirm former President Goodluck Jonathan as our presidential candidate at any convention. We have already concluded all our statutory primary elections, including those for the Presidency, National Assembly, Governorship, and State Houses of Assembly, in strict compliance with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Electoral Act, and the party's constitution.

• Jungudo Mohammed, PDP National Publicity Secretary

The party's National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, described the planned convention as false and misleading, and an attempt to create unnecessary political tension in the country. Mohammed said that no such meeting or affirmation process had been scheduled or approved by any recognized organ of the party. In fact, the PDP has already concluded all its statutory primary elections, including those for the Presidency, National Assembly, Governorship, and State Houses of Assembly, in strict compliance with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Electoral Act, and the party's constitution.

Mohammed also urged relevant security agencies to investigate the source of the false reports and take decisive action against those behind them. He warned that the PDP would no longer tolerate its name being dragged into disrepute through unauthorized political activities. Mohammed reiterated the PDP's total commitment to internal democracy, due process, and the rule of law.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of PDP had scheduled its convention for Saturday in Abuja to affirm Jonathan as its presidential candidate for 2027. NAN also reports that Mohammed-led NWC had on Tuesday affirmed a former member of the National Assembly, Sen. Sandy Onor, as its consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

As of the time of this report, no official comment by Jonathan regarding his ambition for the 2027 presidential race has been made. The PDP has scheduled its national convention for August 2026, where it will pick its candidates for the 2027 elections. However, the party is yet to confirm whether Jonathon will be one of the aspirants.

The PDP has also called on former President Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from the alleged convention in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation. The party stresses that it has always operated within the confines of the law and the party's constitution.

Abdulraman Mohammed has been at the helm of the party since the 7th National Convention of the party held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in October 2024. He was the Chairman of the party in Rivers State before his appointment. Mohammed has been a strong supporter of Wike, who is considered one of the key stakeholders in the party.

Jungudo Mohammed has been the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP since 2024. Before his appointment, he served as the Director of Public Communication at the PDP National Headquarters. Mohammed has been a strong advocate for internal democracy and due process within the party.

Sen. Sandy Onor is a former member of the National Assembly. He was a Senator from Cross River North Senatorial District from 2015 to 2019. Onor was a member of the PDP until 2018 when he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He later defected back to the PDP in 2020.

The PDP has scheduled its national convention for August 2026, where it will pick its candidates for the 2027 elections. It is unclear whether Jonathon will be one of the aspirants. The PDP National Convention is the party's most significant event in the electoral cycle, where delegates from all the states will gather to pick the party's candidate for the presidential election.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has not officially declared his intention to run for the 2027 presidential election, although he has been mentioned as a possible candidate by some party leaders. In the 2019 general election, the PDP lost the presidential election to the APC. The party has been working to rebuild itself since then, with an aim to regain power in 2027.