The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has firmly denied reports that it invited former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race on its platform.
In a sharp rebuttal, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, made it clear that the party had not extended its presidential ticket to Jonathan.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC Hausa, Abdullahi explained that there was no truth to the claim that the PDP had invited Jonathan to contest the upcoming election.
“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,” Abdullahi said.
He elaborated on how the confusion arose, revealing that a journalist had asked him about Jonathan’s potential run for president during an interview.
Abdullahi said, “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.”
While the question was about Jonathan’s eligibility to contest, Abdullahi responded by stating that the former president, as a Nigerian, had the legal right to run for office.
He said, “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.”
Despite the clear statement on Jonathan’s eligibility, Abdullahi emphasized that the PDP had not discussed the issue of Jonathan running for president, nor had they shown any interest in wooing him back into the race.
The PDP spokesman further clarified that the party had already made ample provision for leadership within its ranks, pointing to the number of qualified and capable individuals who could contest the presidential race.
“We have 12 governors and many other prominent politicians who are eligible and competent to contest the presidential election,” Abdullahi stated.
Abdullahi also reminded Nigerians that the party had already given its full support to Jonathan in the past and would not need to entice him back into the race.
He said, “PDP has done enough for Jonathan and as a member of their party, there was no way they would woo him.”
This statement is in line with previous comments made by Jonathan’s wife, Patience, who had clearly stated that her husband was not interested in running for president again. She had expressed that Jonathan had no unfinished business in the presidency and that nothing would make him reconsider a return to power.
It was only a few months ago when she said, “Nothing would make my husband run for the presidency again. 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.”
Abdullahi’s comments have added further clarity to the situation, confirming that the PDP had no intention of extending its presidential ticket to Jonathan unless he expressed a clear interest in running.
“The ticket is given to someone who has shown interest,” Abdullahi explained, further ruling out the possibility of Jonathan being considered without his explicit consent to run.
This clarification from the PDP comes at a time when speculations about Jonathan’s return to the political scene have been rife. Various media reports and political analysts have suggested that the former president might be persuaded to contest again, especially with the shifting political dynamics ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the PDP’s firm stance on the matter suggests that the party is focused on preparing its own candidates for the upcoming presidential race. It also underscores the ongoing debate within the party on who will eventually emerge as its presidential candidate in 2027.
