2027: Suspense over Jonathan’s participation continues as ex-president keeps mum

MaTaZ ArIsInG
Dallas, Texas

Twenty-four hours after the Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ratified former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 polls, there was still no official word from the former number one citizen on whether he had accepted or declined the offer.

The Nigerian Tribune made frantic efforts on Sunday to get confirmation from some associates and close contacts of the former leader without success, as suspense over his intentions remained palpable.

One of his most visible promoters, Hon. Fred Agbedi, who represents Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State in the House of Representatives, did not respond to inquiries by the newspaper about Jonathan’s reaction to being picked as the Turaki camp’s presidential choice.

Several of his other contacts also kept mum when reached on Sunday to discuss the issue and provide a clear direction.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee (INWC) led by Turaki, Comrade Ini Ememobong, had said Jonathan’s candidacy was “a call to service” and not “an ambition”, implying that it was the party that assessed the former president’s credibility and found him worthy to fly its flag, rather than Jonathan applying for the role directly.

Attempts by the Nigerian Tribune to establish evidence of the former president personally expressing interest in contesting, or procuring nomination forms, did not yield results.

Findings also showed that he neither submitted any forms publicly nor appeared before the presidential screening committee appointed by the INWC, though the camp later granted him a waiver when he did not appear for screening.

Speaking on May 19, the day fixed for the screening, a member of the panel and former Governor of Niger State, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, simply explained, “The party had already given our presidential aspirant the waiver.

“Like I said in the beginning, he was deputy governor, became governor, became vice president, became president.

“So, we didn’t see anything that needed screening and therefore the party had given him a waiver. In other words, he had been declared and cleared as the candidate of the PDP for the presidential election and that is president Jonathan.”

On Saturday, May 30, when the INWC ratified Jonathan’s candidacy in absentia, it was the Chairman of the Special Presidential Convention, Professor Jerry Gana, who received the former president’s certificate of return and handed it over to Hon. Agbedi for onward transmission to Jonathan.

On Sunday, when the Nigerian Tribune contacted Gana, his aide who answered the call said Gana, himself a former national PDP secretary, was attending a meeting and would not be available to speak with the newspaper at that time.

“He is at a meeting and I will let him know when he comes out,” was the response. Subsequent attempts did not get through.

The PDP continues to function as a divided house, with a National Working Committee (NWC) chaired by Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed and the Turaki-led INWC, though each side insists it is the only legitimate PDP.

Several judicial pronouncements, including the Supreme Court’s judgment of April 30, which was widely believed to have resolved the opposition party’s internal leadership crisis, appeared not to have provided a lasting solution.

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