By Ayomide Otitoju
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly distance himself from a planned endorsement by a rival group led by Tanimu Turaki for the 2027 presidential election.
The faction dismissed the proposed convention, which seeks to affirm Jonathan as its presidential candidate, describing it as misleading, unfounded, and capable of causing confusion within the political space. It called on party members and the public to disregard the announcement.
In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, the faction said no such convention or process had been approved or recognised by any legitimate organ of the PDP.
It maintained that the party had already concluded all its primary elections, including those for governorship, National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly, and the presidential ticket, in line with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines, the Electoral Act, and the party constitution. It added that all exercises were duly monitored by INEC.
The statement urged Jonathan to distance himself from what it described as a “charade,” saying it was necessary to protect both the integrity of the democratic process and his personal legacy.
It also called on security agencies to investigate the source of what it termed false reports and to take appropriate action against those allegedly responsible for creating political tension in the country.
The faction warned that it would no longer tolerate attempts to drag the PDP into disrepute through misinformation or unauthorised political activities.
Meanwhile, the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP maintained that its planned convention to ratify Jonathan as its 2027 presidential candidate would go ahead as scheduled.
In a statement signed by its Interim National Working Committee spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, the group insisted it had met all legal and procedural requirements, including payment for the venue and notification of security agencies.
The faction said it had also directed its lawyers to engage the management of the venue, insisting that the event scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2026, at A Class Event Centre, Wuse 2, Abuja, by 10 a.m., would proceed as planned.
It stressed that any attempt to stop the gathering would be resisted, arguing that Nigeria’s democratic system guarantees the right to political expression and assembly.
