Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has debunked claims of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during an interview with BBC Hausa, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, dismissed the reports as baseless. He clarified that the party has neither issued its presidential ticket to Jonathan nor invited him to contest the election.
Abdullahi addressed the matter further, emphasizing that the PDP has done enough for Jonathan as a member of the party and sees no reason to woo him. He also questioned the rationale behind the claims, pointing to past statements by Jonathan’s wife, Patience Jonathan, who had firmly ruled out her husband’s return to the Presidential Villa.
Providing more context to the speculations, Abdullahi explained how the false narrative might have originated. 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 highlighted that PDP remains focused on leveraging its pool of qualified leaders. With 12 governors and other prominent figures within its ranks, the party believes it has capable candidates to field for the presidency without relying on Jonathan.
“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,” he said.
The clarification comes amid growing speculations about Jonathan’s political future and his potential re-entry into national politics. While the PDP insists it has not approached him, Abdullahi’s remarks underline the party’s commitment to nurturing its existing leaders to take on the challenges of the 2027 elections.
For now, the party appears focused on strengthening its ranks, dispelling rumors, and preparing for a competitive political landscape ahead of 2027.
