Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee are divided over moves by certain individuals to facilitate the return of former President, Goodluck Jonathan and the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the party.
This comes as the party prepares to inaugurate both the National Working Committee Zoning Committee and the 2027 Election Zoning Committee in Abuja on Thursday.
Some senior members of the National Working Committee, who are also part of the NEC, and spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to comment publicly, questioned why Jonathan, who left the party at a critical time, and Obi whose defection to the Labour Party hurt the PDP’s 2023 prospects, now seek to return.
Others within the NEC welcomed the idea but stressed that the PDP already has capable and qualified members, such as Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, and others, who could represent the party in the 2027 presidential race.
Meanwhile, sources with the PDP leadership confirmed to newsmen that the party has not officially reached out to Jonathan and Obi, adding that those reaching out are doing so individually and not on behalf of the party.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced that the Zoning Committee would be inaugurated on Thursday, adding that the party already boasts a sufficient pool of credible presidential contenders.
Reacting, the All Progressives Congress, Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, stated that regardless of who the PDP fields as its 2027 presidential candidate, the ruling party’s candidate, President Bola Tinubu, will secure victory.
The PDP recently emerged from a prolonged internal crisis that lasted several months.
During this period, several prominent members, such as its 2019 and 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, his running mate and former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, current Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno and other key leaders have defected to the APC and the newly formed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
As part of efforts to restructure and reposition, the PDP, at its 101st NEC meeting on July 24, resolved to hold a National Elective Convention on November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, to elect 19 new members into its National Working Committee.
In recent weeks, to populate the party, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who also serves as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, met separately with former President, Jonathan in Bayelsa and former Labour Party presidential candidate Obi in Bauchi, with discussions reportedly centered on their possible return to the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
Also, party leaders such as former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, former Minister of Information and National Orientation Jerry Gana, and others have publicly urged Jonathan and Obi to rejoin the PDP.
Beyond the PDP, Nigerians remain divided over Jonathan’s eligibility, following a 2018 constitutional amendment that prohibits anyone who has been sworn in twice in the past from contesting for the presidency or a governorship.
Sections 137(3) and 182(3) of the Constitution address this matter, stating that a person who has been sworn in to complete another person’s term as President or Governor may only be elected to that office for one additional term.
Section 137(3) applies to the President and states: “A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as President shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”
Section 182(3) applies to Governors and states: “A person, who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as Governor, shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”
While Obi has maintained that he remains with the Labour Party in alliance with the coalition party, ADC, Jonathan has neither confirmed nor denied reports of his potential return to the PDP to contest the 2027 presidential election.
A PDP National Working Committee member, who revealed that the party leadership is not currently in discussions with Jonathan or Obi, said that if they choose to return, Jonathan would be received by the party with mixed feelings.
The source stated, “Well, the PDP has not officially reached out to these people. But some individuals are discussing with them, and not on behalf of the party.
“PDP remains the only genuine political party that has the people at its center. Those who wrote the party off can now see that the PDP is the party to beat in the 2027 election. It is a party with structure across all wards, local governments, geopolitical zones, and states.
“That is why many Nigerians are trooping in and joining the party. The PDP is open to all Nigerians who are ready to submit themselves to the party’s rules. This includes former President Jonathan and Obi. However, the PDP will receive both Jonathan and Obi with mixed feelings, because they dumped the party at a critical time when the party needed them, and their previous actions affected the party’s fortunes.
“Jonathan abandoned the party after the 2015 election, at a time when he should have been leading the party and repositioning it. Obi also left in the heat of the 2019 elections, and his defection, no doubt, affected the party’s performance in that year’s presidential election.”
Another NWC member, in an exclusive interview, stated that those advocating for Jonathan’s candidacy are motivated by selfish interests, while stressing that Obi must be willing to return to the party.
He stated, “I am a leader in this party. We are reading and hearing that the PDP is in talks with Jonathan and Obi. I am not aware of this because there has been no official communication between our party and these individuals.
“You see, Jonathan needs to ask those who are urging him to run an important question: are they asking him to run because they believe in his capacity, or for their selfish interests?”
A NEC member, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, on his part, accused Jonathan of being responsible for abandoning the party.
He stated, “The circumstances under which former President Jonathan left office and the PDP, where senior leaders and members of the party openly and secretly conspired against him, which I believe might have informed his decision to stay aloof.
“I am not trying to justify why he stayed away for such a long time, but my point is that, if you look at it objectively, one would not be surprised that he took that decision in light of the prevailing circumstances he faced.
“As a former President, he has his pride of place, and all his dues and accolades must be fully given to him. Yes, he shirked certain responsibilities, which is unfortunate, but we are not in a position now to apportion blame. There are people who have done worse, yet we have accommodated and forgiven them in the past, and even in the present.
“So, in the spirit of oneness, continuity, and fairness, every hand, including Obi, should be welcomed. With regard to the former president and notwithstanding the goodwill he has gathered post-presidency, we need all the goodwill we can get now to push this party back into the national limelight.”
Osadolor alleged that the Bauchi Governor and a few PDP members are backing Jonathan’s candidacy because they believe he would be easier to market.
He added, “However, President Jonathan is not the only person we have in this party. We have governors like Governor Seyi Makinde, who has been doing exceptionally well in projecting the party and representing the people of Oyo State in a top-notch manner. So, while wooing former President Jonathan is fine, he is not the only option we have.
