By Oloye Ray
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has emerged as the presidential candidate of the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a special national convention held in Abuja on Saturday.
The ratification exercise, which formally affirmed Jonathan as the faction’s flag bearer for the 2027 presidential election, took place amid lingering leadership disputes within the PDP and growing political realignments ahead of the next general elections.
Jonathan, who was absent from the convention, was declared winner after delegates and party stakeholders endorsed his candidature during the gathering held at the faction’s secretariat in Area 10, Garki, Abuja. His Certificate of Return was reportedly received on his behalf by Bayelsa federal lawmaker Fred Agbedi.
READ ALSO:
- PDP Faction to Ratify Jonathan as 2027 Presidential Candidate at Abuja Convention
- PDP Oyo Urges Turaki Group to Embrace Reconciliation
The Turaki-led faction had earlier cleared the former president as its sole presidential aspirant after granting him a waiver to contest. The group maintained that Jonathan remained a committed member of the PDP and had participated in the party’s digital membership registration process.
In a communiqué issued after the convention and signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the group said all necessary legal and administrative procedures for the convention were followed, including notification to relevant authorities and security agencies. The faction described Jonathan’s endorsement as a strategic move aimed at rebuilding the PDP and strengthening opposition politics ahead of 2027.
The declaration, however, is expected to deepen existing divisions within the opposition party, as rival blocs within the PDP continue to contest legitimacy and leadership control.
Prior to Saturday’s convention, the Turaki-led camp had repeatedly insisted that Jonathan remained loyal to the PDP despite widespread speculation linking him to other political platforms and coalition movements. The faction dismissed campaign posters portraying him as belonging to alternative parties and warned against attempts to create confusion over his political affiliation.
The process leading to Jonathan’s emergence was not without controversy. Reports indicated that the faction had initially scheduled the ratification at a separate event centre before venue changes and logistical complications emerged amid debates over the faction’s recognition and standing within the broader PDP structure.
As of press time, Jonathan had not publicly confirmed acceptance of the nomination or declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, leaving observers awaiting his formal response to the endorsement by the Turaki-led PDP faction.
