KEY POINTS

• The Turaki-led PDP faction has scheduled a convention in Abuja to ratify Goodluck Jonathan as its 2027 presidential candidate.
• The move follows a court ruling affirming Jonathan’s eligibility and earlier claims that he was granted a waiver and declared sole aspirant.
• The PDP remains divided, with a rival faction backing Sandy Onor, while Jonathan has yet to confirm any intention to contest.

The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has announced plans to formally ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The decision is expected to be finalized at a special convention scheduled for Saturday.

The announcement was contained in an official invitation released on Thursday and jointly signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Emebong, and National Organising Secretary, Hon. Theophilus Dakas Shan.

The faction confirmed that preparations for the event have been completed.

Venue, Time, and Event Details

According to the invitation circulated across party platforms, the ratification ceremony will hold at the A Class Event Centre in Wuse 2, Abuja. The event is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.

Party stakeholders, delegates, and supporters are expected to attend the gathering, which is being positioned as a decisive step in the faction’s 2027 presidential strategy.

The move follows a recent court judgment which affirmed that Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election, clearing legal doubts surrounding his potential return to the political stage.

The Turaki-led faction has, in recent months, intensified efforts to persuade the former president to re-enter the presidential race under the PDP platform.

On May 19, the faction had already declared Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate after he reportedly failed to appear before the party’s presidential screening committee for two consecutive days.

Following the development, a member of the screening committee, Babangida Aliyu, disclosed that Jonathan had effectively been cleared as the party’s sole aspirant. He noted that the party had granted him a waiver, citing his extensive political experience as former deputy governor, governor, vice president, and president.

Aliyu further stated that the waiver meant Jonathan did not require formal screening, effectively positioning him as the faction’s chosen candidate.