A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has moved to formally ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, setting the stage for a potentially dramatic realignment ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The ratification is expected to take place at a Special National Convention scheduled for Saturday at the A-Class Event Centre, Wuse 2, Abuja.
In an invitation jointly signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, and National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Dakas Shan, the gathering was described as a “Special National Convention for the Ratification of the Nomination of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR as the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
The development follows a series of internal political manoeuvres by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the PDP, which has steadily pushed Jonathan to the forefront of its 2027 strategy. The faction’s screening committee had earlier granted the former president a waiver and subsequently cleared him as the sole aspirant.
Chairman of the screening committee and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, said the decision was informed by Jonathan’s extensive political experience, noting his service as deputy governor, governor, vice president and president.
The faction’s push has also been reinforced by a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which affirmed Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu held that the plaintiff seeking to stop the former president lacked the legal standing to institute the case, adding that earlier judgments from both the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had already upheld his eligibility.
The court’s decision has been celebrated by the faction, which insisted that constitutional provisions cannot be applied retroactively. It also dismissed the suit as “vexatious and a gross abuse of court processes.”
Despite the mounting political momentum, Jonathan has not publicly accepted the nomination. He has also not confirmed any intention to formally join the 2027 race.
When a group of youth leaders visited him in Abuja earlier this month to press for his return to active presidential politics, the former president said he was still consulting widely.
“Presidential race is not a computer game. But I’ve heard you and I’ll consult widely,” he said.
He reiterated his position at the end of the meeting, stressing that any decision to return to the ballot would require careful reflection and broad consultation.
“I will consult. I cannot just wake up and say I want to be the president of Nigeria again. But I am telling you that I will consult. If there is a need to, I will wait,” he added.
Jonathan, who governed Nigeria from 2010 to 2015 and gained international recognition for conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election, now finds himself back at the centre of renewed political calculations within the PDP faction.
However, uncertainty persists over whether he will ultimately accept the nomination or re-enter the presidential contest ahead of 2027.
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