Politics
2027: Jonathan, Saraki, Obi, Makinde under radar as PDP shops for viable candidate against Tinubu
A flurry of consultations and horse trading is underway in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following last week’s decision of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
Some prominent members of the party are already reaching out to stakeholders to indicate their interest in the race, an investigation by The Nation has revealed.
No fewer than six names are being speculated to be in the running. Party sources said more will join in the months ahead as the situation gets clearer.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan tops the list of those being tipped by some interests in the PDP.
Others are former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, presidential candidate of Labour Party in 2023 Mr. Peter Obi, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the outgoing President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina.
JONATHAN
Party sources identified a northern state governor as one of the key promoters of the ‘Jonathan for President’ Project.
The governor had served as a minister under Jonathan and would not mind becoming the former president’s running mate. His calculation is said to be based on his belief that he himself would be in a good position to run for the presidency in 2031 if the Jonathan ticket prevails in the 2027 election.
But sources said the project may not fly on account of Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prevents anyone who has been sworn in twice as president from seeking election into the same office.
The Section stipulates thus: “A person who was sworn in as President 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.”
Two months ago, former first lady Patience Jonathan hinted that her husband would not be in the 2027 race.
She also openly pledged her family’s support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Speaking during an award ceremony in Abuja, Dame Patience said: “We don’t have two Presidents. I am outspoken. If I don’t like something, I will say it. But if I like something, I die with it.
“I believe in one President. I believe in turn by turn. When it is your turn, I will support you. When it is not your turn, step back, so that the country can move forward.”
SARAKI
Party members rooting for Saraki believe that he needs to be compensated for standing by the party and not following his friends like the immediate past Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi to the ADC.
They are of the belief that he is popular, having held his ground against the Buhari government during his time as the Senate President.
They also cite his very rich friends who would not mind funding him.
But those against him wonder which part of the country he would claim to belong to: North or South?
Their argument is where will his running mate come from if he picks the ticket? They also say that he is overrated and lacks a solid base for now because his state, Kwara, is under the control of APC.
The adjoining state of Kogi, which his late father Dr. Olusola Saraki used to control, is also firmly in the grip of the APC.
WIKE
Party members in support of Wike are citing his immense contribution to the party over the years and his wide political network across the 36 states.
“Wike has given so much of his time and resources to the PDP and without his critical interventions and involvement, many PDP office holders and party officials that you see today wouldn’t have found it easy to be where they are now,” a federal legislator who pleaded anonymity told The Nation.
However, the minister himself has ruled out any interest in the contest against President Tinubu.
He has said on several occasions that while he remains a committed member of the PDP, he will support the President’s re-election bid.
Sources said he is also unlikely to square up with his former boss Jonathan in the event that the former President joins the race.
Wike was Jonathan’s Minister of State for Education, and the former president was instrumental to his emergence as the governor of Rivers State.
OBI
Some PDP leaders are trying to lure Peter Obi back to the party in the hope that he can help save it from total collapse following the recent gale of defections by many high profile members.
His name has come up because of his surprise performance in the last general election.
A founding member of the party, Prof. Jerry Gana, said in a television interview on Wednesday that Obi has what it takes to defeat any contender in the northern states if he contests on the PDP platform.
“I’m a researcher, and I research opinions. In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate, because our people are very fair minded,” Gana said.
Obi was a member of the PDP until he defected to Labour Party ahead of the 2023 elections.
He was the PDP vice presidential candidate in the 2019 election.
Obi had popped up at the recent movement of some opposition politicians to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja, sparking speculation that he was on his way out of the LP.
He has since denied the speculation, saying he remains a member of the Labour Party.
Some PDP members, however, do not trust the former Anambra State governor to keep his promise to do only one term if elected.
A source said: “It is easy to make a promise. We have seen that before.
“The late leader of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, once told the world how Chief Olusegun Obasanjo promised to do one term only for him to renege.
“We can’t be taken for a ride a second time.”
They are also not comfortable with his record of defections, first from APGA to PDP and then from PDP to LP.
Governors elected on the platform of the party are not likely to prefer him to Makinde, if the Oyo governor decides to contest.
There is no bond between the PDP governors and Obi.
MAKINDE
Supporters of Governor Makinde are of the view that he stands a good chance to face President Tinubu since he is from the same South West zone as the President.
Their calculation is that he will divide votes from the zone, thus giving the party some advantage.
One source said: “In the Southwest, there is only one loyal PDP governor. His Osun counterpart has already indicated support for Tinubu in 2027.
“Discussions are on, and if the ticket is zoned to the South or micro-zoned to the Southwest, the Oyo governor will be a major contender.”
But another source, who is a former member of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), said: “I don’t have evidence that Seyi (Makinde) has opened discussion with Southwest stakeholders on any ambition.
“People are speculating his name as they are speculating the names of Obi and even Jonathan (former President Goodluck).
“He is hosting the convention in Ibadan. But it has nothing to do with any presidential ambition.”
He added: “One thing that may happen is that PDP would uphold zoning, and if that is done, aspirants from the Southeast, South-south and Southwest would be eligible. Then, the matter would be decided at a later presidential convention.”
The Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said Makinde’s preoccupation for now is not a presidential aspiration, but the improvement of the lives of the people.
He said: The governor’s focus now is delivering the dividends of democracy to the greater number of the people of Oyo State. He is not considering running for president. He has not declared any ambition.
“His focus is satisfying the people of Oyo State and surpassing their expectation. He is focusing on the core assignment, which is impacting the lives of the people.”
In April, the governor, while speaking on the state of the nation, said he was competent and capable to lead the country as president.
Makinde said on Channels Television’s programme, ‘Politics Today,’ that he had accomplished more than just serving as the governor of Oyo State.
His words: “I don’t have any doubt that I have the capacity to occupy the highest office in this land, and I have what it takes.
“But is it what I want to do right now? Is it what Nigerians are asking for? Is it what my party will say we should do? I don’t know. We still have a long time to go.
“Where we are right now is, you know, we must fix our party. You must have a platform for you to even aspire to be anything.”
Makinde said no one would dictate his agenda, adding that he would not engage in what he described as gimmick-driven politics.
The governor said: “Right now, I am focusing on what people have given to me, the task ahead of us, and so I’m not distracted, and I will not play stunt politics.
“I will not do things because, well, it feels right in some people’s ears. No, we will stay focused to ensure that we bring dividends of democracy to our people.”
Makinde said he would not pursue any political ambition without proper preparation and a sense of accountability.
He added: “One thing you should expect from Seyi Makinde is that he will never come out to say, look, I want to do this, do X, Y, Z without preparation and without being held accountable for whatever it is that I say I want to do.
“If my political journey ends right here, I am also very happy. When I joined politics in 2007, I wanted to go to the Senate. I wanted to be a senator.
“But now, not only have I achieved more than that by being the governor of my state, I have also cherished the opportunity that people gave to me to make my own little difference.”
ADESINA
Dr. Adesina who is due to relinquish the AfDB presidency to his successor next month is essentially a technocrat.
He had served as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development under President Jonathan.
He said recently that he was willing to serve the country in any capacity; a statement some people have interpreted to mean that he was offering himself for the presidency.
A PDP national officer contacted yesterday said the party’s focus for now was getting rescued from the current challenges it is facing.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the official, who asked not to be named, said.
“We are more concerned about putting the party on a sound footing ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We want Nigerians to know that we remain a formidable party, determined to put forward a strong presidential candidate who is capable of restoring Nigeria’s glory.
Party’s ticket open to all, says Olawepo
The zoning of the PDP presidential ticket to the south has not gone down well with some sections in the party.
A group, Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement, claimed yesterday that no such decision was “reached by any constitutionally recognised organ of the PDP”
The group is mobilising for former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim.
Its National Coordinator, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, said in a statement that even if informal discussions occurred, “they do not carry the force of party or constitutional authority, and could amount to a breach of the law if enforced.”
He faulted Prof. Gana’s statement that PDP chairmen from the Northern states unanimously resolved to zone the party’s presidential ticket to the South
“We have it on good authority that no such consultation held between the Northern Chairmen and the Professor,” Hamzat said.
Hamzat said that Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement cuts across PDP, APC, Labour party, active young and vibrant Nigerians who want to see a new Nigeria that works for all and not special interests.
He therefore urged the party leaders to prioritise unity, fairness and legality as the PDP prepares for its national convention in Oyo State later this year.
According to him, the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Ambassador Umar Damagun has worked tirelessly to foster inclusion and cohesion within the party and should be encouraged, not distracted by unverifiable claims or divisive rhetoric.
“The propagation of sectional narratives, no matter how well intentioned, could undermine the NWC’s efforts to unite the party and may reverse the gains recorded so far,” Hamzat cautioned.
“Only national agenda, devoid of regional and religious sentiment could position PDP as the beneficiary of the new wave of national consciousness ahead of 2027”.
He cited historical precedents to reinforce his position, noting that in the 1999 PDP primaries held in Jos, prominent Northern politicians such as Alhaji Abubakar Rimi contested freely alongside Southern contenders like Chief Alex Ekwueme and eventual winner, General Olusegun Obasanjo.
Similarly, in 2003, Rimi and Chief Barnabas Gemade again from the North contested for the party’s presidential ticket.
In more recent memory, the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries featured aspirants from both North and South, such as Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Governor Yahaya Bello from the North, and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the South, who eventually emerged as the party’s candidate and went on to win the presidency.
Hamzat cited Section 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which prohibits discrimination based on place of origin, ethnicity or political affiliation.
“A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin… shall not, by reason only that he is such a person… be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law… to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities… are not made subject.”
Hamzat argued that any internal party arrangement, like zoning, which effectively bars qualified Nigerians from contesting for the presidency solely because of their region, would violate the spirit and letter of this constitutional provision.
“Zoning may serve as a gentleman’s agreement for balancing interests, but it must never become a legal or moral tool of exclusion. The Constitution remains supreme,” he stated.
He appealed to party stakeholders, including Professor Gana, to support the unifying and progressive efforts of the NWC as the PDP positions itself to reclaim national relevance ahead of the 2027 general elections (The Nation)
Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has declared that he is ready to lose his life while protecting his votes in the 2027 election.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, on Thursday, Obi charged Nigerians to prevent a repeat of the “irregularities” witnessed during the 2023 general election.
In 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to upload election results electronically due to the alleged failure of IReV.
Critics had accused the commission of hiding under the alleged failure of IReV to rig the election against the opposition.
Obi, who ran under Labour Party, and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who was candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had rejected the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as winner of the election and headed to the court.
But Tinubu’s election victory was upheld by the court.
Speaking at the event tagged: “Obi Talks Nigeria”, the NDC Presidential Candidate said those plotting to manipulate the election would fail in their mission.
Screenshot
He urged his supporters to go all out and exercise their franchise on election day, saying no one would intimidate them or prevent their votes from counting.
“Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth. If you get to any polling booth today, the highest number of officials you see is five. The average number of voters is 40 to 50. There is no way five people will intimidate 50 people.”
“This time all of us will rescue our country. Somebody said, ‘We are ready to die.’ Let me tell you, I’m ready to die too.
“We will make sure we have coordination to ensure that such intimidation does not arise. Yes, they will try to manipulate the IReV. But let me tell you, it will not be easy this time,” he said.
“There will be so many IReVs this time. If there is a network glitch, we will give them another one that has no glitch,” he said.
“By allowing them to continue, that glitch will glitch our lives. That is what we are suffering today,” Obi said.
On his part, NDC Vice Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, appealed to voters to avoid past mistakes of not choosing competent leaders with the capacity to address the country’s challenges.
He said despite the number of states that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) currently controls, the party will still lose the next election.
“I believe that Nigerians must not make mistakes again. This is the time to get it right. And anything to the contrary, I believe people, if they make a mistake, certainly people will regret making that mistake. Because it will be too costly for the people and the country.”
“Jonathan was the president, the sitting president lost the election. I’ve given you an example, especially those who think because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose the election. That was a very big mistake,” he said. (Daily Trust)
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has criticised the moves by a sitting President to prevent the release of records concerning his past, particularly documents relating to his educational credentials.
In a tweet, the NDC presidential candidate said he was deeply saddened by the direction in which Nigeria was heading, describing it as “profoundly embarrassing” that a sitting President would ask a foreign court to withhold records concerning his past, particularly where such records relate to matters of legitimate public interest.
Obi argued that leadership requires the courage and humility to confront one’s past rather than shield uncomfortable aspects of it from legitimate scrutiny.
“Leadership, in my humble view, demands the courage and humility to confront one’s history — to acknowledge mistakes, provide candid explanations where questions arise, and, where necessary, apologise and seek forgiveness,” he said.
According to him, true authority is strengthened, rather than diminished, when leaders accept responsibility instead of attempting to conceal controversial aspects of their past.
He said the matter becomes even more significant when it concerns educational credentials, stressing that questions surrounding foundational education, including primary and secondary schooling, should not remain unresolved or be addressed principally through legal proceedings.
“Nigerians deserve clear, credible, and verifiable explanations, especially when such had been submitted in the past,” Obi stated.
The former Anambra State governor also expressed concern about the example such conduct could set for the country’s younger generation, particularly the more than 30 million Nigerians currently in school.
He said the highest office in the land should exemplify integrity, accountability, transparency and ethical leadership.
Obi noted that an imperfect past was part of the human condition, but maintained that what mattered was the willingness to confront it with humility and honesty, apologise where necessary, make amends and, when circumstances demand, place the interests of the nation above personal ambition.
He questioned when Nigeria’s political class would fully appreciate that individual ambitions are temporary, while the nation endures.
“When will our political class fully appreciate that individual ambitions are temporary, while the nation endures?” he asked.
Obi further observed that although the Presidency is an office held for only a season, the moral standards established by those who occupy it could influence generations.
He reaffirmed his loyalty to Nigeria, stating that he had never sought citizenship of another country, even when doing so became fashionable.
“Nigeria is greater than any one person, and the integrity of the Republic must always come before the interests of the individual,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held closed door talks with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, otherwise known as the Progressives Governors‘ Forum, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Thursday’s meeting is the latest in a back-to-back series of engagements with governors and top chieftains of the party at Aso Rock to resolve the crisis trailing the controversial Presidential Campaign Council list released by the party last Saturday, August 23, 2026.
The governors marched to the President’s office shortly before 4:00pm on Thursday, after emerging from a separate session of the National Economic Council chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The consultations, which began since Wednesday, were aimed at reviewing and reworking the PCC list which has continued to generate controversy since its release.
The ruling party had faced severe backlash over the inclusion of some controversial party chieftains, particularly those currently facing corruption charges.
It was also alleged that some key sections of the party were not carried along in the drafting of the PCC list.
Multiple party sources, who spoke with The PUNCH on Thursday, said the meeting, which initially held from around 4pm to 11pm on Wednesday, could not be concluded.
Consequently, the meeting continued on Thursday after the regular NEC meeting.
As of press time on Thursday, The PUNCH could not confirm the extent of the changes made to the list.
However, sources close to the APC governors and party heavyweights said the list had been reviewed.
One of the sources said the initial list had been deleted from the party’s X handle and that a new list would be posted as soon as the President approves the deliberations at the meeting and the proposed changes.
“The list is part of the main agenda of the meeting. You can notice that the other controversial list has been deleted from the Twitter handle of the party,” a top source close to the APC governors said.
Also speaking on the list, another top party chieftain said, “Can you believe that the party was not carried along in the formation of the list? The President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters and a few persons in the Presidency came up with the list.
“You can see the backlash that has trailed it. The President is handling the matter, and it is believed that some changes will be made after the two-day meeting.”
Meanwhile, further findings by our correspondent showed that the party would double down on social intervention programmes ahead of the January 2027 poll.
It was learnt that this was part of the ruling party’s plan to reach out to Nigerians and ameliorate the suffering of the masses.
The APC had recently released the complete membership list of its 2027 Presidential Campaign Council.
As earlier reported, President Bola Tinubu will chair the council, with Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, serving as vice chairmen I and II respectively. Senator Abdulaziz Yari was named Director-General, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, will serve as Secretary.
The expanded list, numbering 223 entries, adds directorates covering finance, extractive industries, education, manufacturing and MSMEs, support group coordination, faith-based mobilisation, protocol, labour union relations, special duties, stakeholders’ mobilisation, community support, digital operations, grassroots engagement, and welfare.
Following series of controversies that trailed the list, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said later that adjustments would made to the list where necessary.
Dare said the list remained valid because the campaign structure was not yet complete, with several subcommittees still to be constituted.
“As it is with every other list, there’s a room for subcommittees. Those subcommittees have not been formed, and so many other names will come into that subcommittee,” he said.
Dare also referred to a statement issued by the APC, insisting that the party had not withdrawn the list.
“But of course, there will be adjustments. The list is not cast in stone, just like every other list,” he added.
Asked whether the expected changes amounted to a review of the council, Dare drew a distinction between the two terms, saying the changes would only be made where necessary.
“Not a review, just adjustments where necessary,” he said.
Explaining the distinction, Dare said a review would amount to a broader overhaul of the existing structure.
“Review is wholesale, this is not wholesale,” Dare said.
He added that the planned subcommittees would provide room for more party members and political stakeholders to be accommodated within the campaign structure. (PUNCH)
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