A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party will on Saturday hold a Special National Convention in Abuja to officially ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The convention is scheduled to take place at the ‘A’ Class Event Centre on Kassim Ibrahim Way, Wuse 2, Abuja, beginning at 10am.
An invitation released on Thursday and signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, alongside the National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Dakas Shan, described the gathering as a “Special National Convention for the Ratification of the Nomination of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR as the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
The ratification exercise follows several moves by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction aimed at presenting Jonathan as its flag bearer for the 2027 presidential race.
On May 19, the faction’s screening committee granted the former president a waiver and cleared him as the only aspirant seeking the party’s presidential ticket.
Chairman of the screening committee and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, said Jonathan’s political experience as deputy governor, governor, vice president and president informed the committee’s decision to grant him the waiver.
The faction also conducted its presidential primary on Wednesday, May 28, ahead of the planned convention.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday affirmed Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election, a ruling welcomed by the Turaki-led faction.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the plaintiff seeking to stop Jonathan from contesting lacked the legal standing to institute the suit because no personal loss or injury had been established.
The judge further noted that both the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had earlier ruled that Jonathan remained eligible to contest, describing the fresh suit as an abuse of court process.
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Reacting to the judgment, the PDP faction argued that laws could not operate retroactively and described the case as vexatious and a gross abuse of judicial process.
According to the faction, the court ruling, coupled with the waiver earlier granted to Jonathan, had cleared the way for his participation in the party’s presidential primary.
Despite the developments, Jonathan has yet to publicly accept the nomination or officially declare his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
During a recent meeting with youth groups at his Abuja office, the former president said he was still consulting before deciding whether to join the race.
“Presidential race is not a computer game. But I’ve heard you and I’ll consult widely,” he said.
Jonathan also reiterated his position at the end of the meeting, insisting that he would not hastily declare his ambition.
“I will consult. I cannot just wake up and say I want to be the president of Nigeria again. But I am telling you that I will consult. If there is a need to, I will wait,” he stated.
Jonathan served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015 and conceded defeat to former President Muhammadu Buhari after the 2015 presidential election.