PDP Faction to Ratify Jonathan as 2027 Presidential Candidate at Special Convention

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki has announced plans to hold a special convention on Saturday to formally ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The announcement was contained in an invitation issued late Thursday and jointly signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Emebong, and National Organising Secretary, Hon. Theophilus Dakas Shan.

According to the invitation circulated on the party’s social media platforms, the ratification ceremony will take place at the A Class Event Centre in Wuse 2, Abuja, and is scheduled to commence at 10 a.m.

The planned convention follows a recent court judgment affirming Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.

The Kabiru Turaki-led faction has in recent months intensified efforts to persuade the former president to join the race.

On May 19, the faction announced Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate after he reportedly failed to appear before the party’s presidential screening committee for two consecutive days.

Speaking with journalists after the screening exercise, Babangida Aliyu, a member of the Presidential Screening Committee, disclosed that Jonathan had been cleared as the party’s sole presidential aspirant.

Aliyu said the party’s leadership granted the former president the necessary waiver to participate in the process.

“As you know, the party had already given a presidential aspirant the waiver. He was a deputy governor, became governor, vice-president and later president. Therefore, we did not see anything that needed screening.

“In other words, he had been declared as the candidate of PDP for the presidential election,” Aliyu stated.

Despite the claims by the faction, Jonathan has yet to publicly confirm whether he intends to return to active presidential politics or contest the 2027 election.

His participation in Saturday’s convention therefore remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, another faction of the PDP recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission and reportedly backed by Nyesom Wike had earlier adopted former lawmaker Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.