Jonathan absent as Turaki-led PDP ratifies him presidential candidate
The Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki on Saturday ratified former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election. The ratification took place amidst tense atmosphere in the Garki area of Abuja. The former President Goodluck Jonathan was conspicuously absent […]
The Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki on Saturday ratified former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The ratification took place amidst tense atmosphere in the Garki area of Abuja.
The former President Goodluck Jonathan was conspicuously absent from the ceremony.
The PDP faction said Jonathan’s candidacy was ratified following the general acceptance and support received across the 36 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
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His certificate of return was presented to a member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Fred Agbedi, from Bayelsa State for onward delivery to the former president.
The motion to ratify Jonathan for the Nigerian top job was moved by the Chairman of the Forum of PDP State Chairmen, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, and was seconded by a former Minister for Aviation, Sanusi Dagash.
Aziegbemi, while moving the motion said the party, having conducted its primaries across the states, arrived at a collective decision to ratify the former president as the sole candidate to contest the presidential election under its platform.
“The PDP, having conducted free and credible primary elections in the 36 states, hereby at this special convention, adopts Jonathan as the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election,” he said.
The convention was originally scheduled to be held at the A Class Event Centre in Maitama, Abuja, but the venue was condoned off by the police and other security operatives as early as 5am on Saturday.
While the police prevented access to the venue, the Chairman of the Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the PDP, Tanimu Turaki, led party faithful to a premises in the Garki Area 10 where the ratification took place.
Some PDP bigwigs, including the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adulphus Wabara, Professor Jerry Gana and the party’s Oyo State governorship candidate, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, were present at the ceremony.
The convention was held amidst threats by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to revoke the land titles of any event centre or hotel in Abuja that allowed political parties not recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to host political events in its premises.