Jonathan ‘ll Contest 2027 Election On PDP Platform, Prof Jerry Gana Claims

A former minister and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disclosed that former President Goodluck Jonathan will contest the 2027 Presidential election on the PDP platform.

Gana, who disclosed this to Journalists on the sidelines of the PDP Congress in Niger State, said the party was ready to return Jonathan as president of Nigeria in 2027.

He dismissed the internal wranglings in the party, saying the consultative conference held by the party’s founding fathers in Abuja had addressed all the issues.

Jonathan’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, could not be reached during press time.

But Gana’s claim comes barely 48 hours after Jonathan met with Senator David Mark, the national chairman of the coalition party African Democratic Congress (ADC), in Abuja.

Weeks earlier, a PDP founding father and former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, had said Jonathan is the party’s best bet. The Senate minority leader, Senator Abba Moro, also said the party has reached out to Jonathan to return.

Sources in the party told LEADERSHIP that the zoning of the party’s ticket to the South was part of efforts to woo Jonathan and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who also held a closed-door meeting with Jonathan some weeks ago.

However, the camp within PDP, loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, is opposed to Jonathan’s return, having pledged to support President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

His party leaders have since endorsed Tinubu as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

However, Gana, while speaking with journalists during the PDP congress in Niger State, said, “In 2015, Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said his ambition is not worth the blood of Nigerians.

After him, another President ruled for eight years, and now another has ruled for two years. Nigerians have seen the difference, and the difference is noticeable. Nigerians are now asking us to bring back our friend, Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the Presidential election in 2027 as PDP candidate and you will vote for him to return as President again,” he said.

Responding to whether the PDP’s rift puts the party in good standing for the 2027 election, Gana said, “The PDP has a tremendous opportunity in 2027 because it is truly a grassroots party. The founding fathers convened a consultative conference in Abuja and addressed all the issues.”

The former minister claimed that Nigerians love the PDP because the party has people-oriented programmes.

“That is why they remember PDP immensely, and they are urging us to come back”, he added.

Gana said about the state of the economy: “This government has several evil gatekeepers, keeping away foreign investors. That’s their major problem. Nigeria is the best way to grow your money.”