PDP unveils Goodluck Jonathan as its 2027 presidential candidate as rival party factions intensify battle over leadership and election preparations

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, on Tuesday in Abuja unveiled former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, alongside 28 governorship candidates and hundreds of National and State Assembly aspirants.

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The announcement, made by the PDP Interim National Working Committee (INWC), underscored the opposition party’s determination to mount a nationwide challenge in the next election cycle despite an ongoing leadership dispute that continues to divide the party.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Turaki said the PDP had adopted stricter screening measures to avoid a repeat of previous situations in which elected officials secured mandates on the party’s platform before defecting to rival political parties.

“Nobody, moving forward, nobody will take our mandate to another political party and get away with it. But before we take your names to INEC, you will sign. You will sign an undertaking. What had happened before will not happen again,” Turaki said.

The former minister disclosed that all prospective candidates underwent extensive background checks and security screenings aimed at protecting the party from legal complications that could jeopardise electoral victories after the polls.

According to Turaki, the PDP was taking no chances with candidate selection following past experiences in which election victories became subject to prolonged legal challenges.

“PDP would not want a situation where for any reason that we win the election and then that victory will be taken out from us at the tribunal,” he said.

Turaki added that while most candidates had successfully completed the vetting process and received Certificates of Return, a small number remained under review.

“There are still others, a very small number, that are yet to be cleared. Issues have been raised. They are not very serious issues of concern, but yet they are issues that we consider very significant, and those issues have to be cleared,” he stated.

The PDP faction presented candidates for 469 National Assembly seats and 993 State Houses of Assembly seats in addition to governorship candidates across 28 states.

Among those who received Certificates of Return were Lawal Mohammed Umar for Kaduna, Hassan Oladimeji Ali for Kwara, Zanna Gadama Mustapha for Borno, Ibeabuchi Ihenechukwu for Abia and Adetokumbo Pearce for Lagos.

Turaki expressed confidence in the party’s electoral prospects, insisting that the PDP would field candidates in every constituency where elections would be conducted in 2027.

“We have done background checks and we are still doing background checks on some of the people that had even emerged because PDP would not want a situation where for any reason that we win election and then that victory will be taken out from us at the tribunal,” he said.

The unveiling of Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, represents one of the most significant developments within the opposition party as political realignments continue ahead of the 2027 elections.

Jonathan remains one of the PDP’s most recognisable figures and previously contested under the party’s banner in both 2011 and 2015.

However, the move immediately highlighted the deepening leadership crisis within the PDP, with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike backing a rival leadership structure headed by acting National Chairman Umar Damagum Mohammed.

Addressing the party’s 109th National Executive Committee meeting at Wadata Plaza in Abuja, Wike maintained that the leadership operating from the PDP national secretariat remained the legitimate authority recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“You must have to organize yourself. Do your best. Yes, we have people who are fighting. Don’t blame those of our brother who are fighting. They have lost out,” Wike said.

In a pointed reference to the rival faction, the minister argued that legal battles would not determine the party’s future political activities.

“As far as we are concerned, June 26 is when they will give access code to political parties to upload. Don’t worry; we are good to go. Nobody is afraid. We will see who INEC will give the code,” he stated.

The NEC meeting also witnessed the presentation of Certificates of Return to Senator Sandy Onor as the presidential candidate recognised by the Wike-aligned leadership, further illustrating the extraordinary divisions within Nigeria’s main opposition party.

Acting National Chairman Mohammed urged members to remain focused on rebuilding the party and strengthening democratic institutions, expressing confidence in INEC’s ability to provide a level playing field for all political parties.

“We have absolute confidence in the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission to continue strengthening the electoral process and providing a level playing field for all political parties in accordance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act,” Mohammed said.

Meanwhile, the opposition landscape received another jolt in Osun State as former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola publicly endorsed Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate Adewale Adebayo ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

Oyinlola’s endorsement came barely a day after several Accord Party chieftains and aides to Governor Ademola Adeleke reportedly defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), signalling fresh political shifts in the state.

The former governor argued that the emerging alliance involving elements of the PDP and APM could create a formidable force capable of reshaping the state’s political dynamics before the 2027 general election.

APM candidate Adebayo described the forthcoming Osun election as a crucial test ahead of broader national contests, expressing confidence that support from PDP structures would strengthen the party’s chances at the polls.

The developments reflect an increasingly fluid political environment as parties reposition themselves ahead of what is expected to be one of Nigeria’s most fiercely contested election cycles.

While the PDP seeks to rebuild its national appeal after losing power in 2015, internal disputes over leadership and candidate legitimacy continue to pose significant challenges to the party’s efforts to present a united front.

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For now, the announcement that PDP Unveils Goodluck Jonathan has added a powerful new dimension to the unfolding contest for 2027, even as rival factions battle for control of the party’s future.