PDP faction to ratify Jonathan as presidential candidate Saturday

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party is set to hold a Special National Convention on Saturday to formally ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. The event will take place at the ‘A’ Class Event Centre in Abuja.

The convention follows a series of steps by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction to position Jonathan as their candidate. This includes a waiver and clearance granted by the faction's screening committee on May 19, chaired by former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu. The committee cited Jonathan's extensive political record, including his service as deputy governor, governor, vice president, and president, as reasons for granting the waiver.

Further bolstering the faction's efforts, the Federal High Court in Abuja declared Jonathan eligible to participate in the 2027 presidential election on Tuesday. Justice Peter Lifu dismissed a suit seeking to bar Jonathan, ruling that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing and that the suit constituted an abuse of court process. The judge noted previous rulings from the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and a Court of Appeal affirming Jonathan's eligibility.

Despite these developments, Jonathan has not yet publicly accepted the nomination or confirmed his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election. He previously told supporters that he was still consulting on a potential run, likening the presidential race to something more complex than a computer game. Jonathan served as president from 2010 to 2015 and conceded defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 election.