Politics
2027: APC kicks as PDP backs call for Jonathan’s return
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party has thrown its weight behind the call for former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the presidential race for 2027.
In the past few weeks, there has been a growing rumour that northern elites and politicians are not happy with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and subtly yearning for a change of government in the next election.
Four days ago, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, also lent his voice to the agitation, vowing to jettison his presidential ambition if Jonathan agrees to contest.
Mohammed gave his blessing at an event organised by a non-governmental organisation, Save Africa Initiative, in Abuja.
According to him, the former President has the requisite experience to revamp the economy and would do a good job if given a second mandate to manage the country.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the positions of the Bauchi governor and northern elites resonated with the opposition party.
He said, “We are absolutely in support of the position of the Bauchi State governor. Don’t forget, he was a prominent member of theJonathan’s administration where he was a minister. As the chairman of the 13 governors of the PDP, a two-term minister, former senator and a two-term governor rounding off his second term, you will expect him to understand and appreciate the situation of where this country is coming from, where it is at the moment and where we hope to take it to in the future.
“If you are talking about a southern Presidency in 2027, we should be looking at one who had enjoyed one term and will probably give Nigerians hope and prosperity as opposed to the one we have in power. Secondly, if you are also talking about a nationalist, somebody who would not rig an election to keep himself in office, who announced before the counting process was over, that he lost, it has to be Jonathan.
“You remember that he called the victor, congratulated him and asked him to send people for the transition process. So, it is this kind of person with a listening ear that we believe can save the situation. No President in Nigerian history has been as criticised as Ebele Jonathan. We tolerated all sorts of insults targeted at us and his Presidency. But today, he is the one everybody is looking for with torchlight, even in broad daylight.”
When reminded that the decision may not go down well with PDP former presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has been labelled a serial contester by the ruling All Progressives Congress, the PDP spokesman kicked.
According to him, Atiku cannot dictate for the party who to field in 2027 despite being a major stakeholder of the PDP.
“It is not the place of Atiku to decide for the PDP. We are running a national political party, for crying out loud; one that has governed this country for 16 years. We cannot be expected to have one person determining the direction of the party. If anything, we respect him. He has given it (the presidency) a trial and has been on this for too long.
“But there are times when you realise a battle is no longer around you and you support someone. This is how things are done. If in 2019, we tried, in 2023, we tried again with Atiku, there is nothing wrong in trying someone else in 2027, especially if the odds seemed to favour that person more, which is the case.
“The situation this country is facing today is one that has gone beyond party lines or other narrow considerations. We require a nationalist in the clout of Goodluck Jonathan to be able to salvage the situation. It is clear that for the six and a half years that he was President, he was able to stabilise the forex to a very reasonable extent. The country was able to go on single digit inflation. This we will continue to reference,” he stated.
But the ruling APC disagreed, saying it was too early for any party to be talking about 2027.
In an exclusive phone call with our reporter, the National Director of Publicity for the party, Bala Ibrahim, mocked the PDP, which he said was showing sign of desperation to cling onto anything for survival.
Ibrahim, however, warned that should Jonathan accept to run against the President Bola Tinubu on the platform of the opposition party in the next election, he would taste the bitter pill of defeat again.
He said, “For us to start talking about 2027 is not only premature, but a calculation that is doomed. Less than 40 per cent of the mandate given to the President under the APC has not even been consumed. There is just no way the APC as a party will be jittery, if at all, there is such plan to enrol former President Goodluck Jonathan into the race.
“The APC defeated him when he was in power. Defeating him when he’s out of power will be a walkover. It is something that cannot even give the party a sleepless night. So, whoever is making this permutation, if the intention is to scare the APC as a party, I think he needs to go back to the drawing board and think again. We are not worried.
“As I said, let’s get to the river before we start thinking of crossing it. It is too early to start talking about 2027. But if you bring 10 former President Jonathan, they cannot defeat the APC as of today.”
When told that a larger section of political analysts believe the APC defeated Jonathan only because of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s cult-like followership across the country in 2015, Ibrahim laughed.
The APC spokesman insisted that it is on record that Tinubu was the leader of the party when Buhari shocked the Otuoke politician.
He also expressed optimism that history will repeat itself if Jonathan accepts the PDP offer to contest against Tinubu.
“The truth is that the APC defeated Goodluck Jonathan when the President (Tinubu) was the leader of the party. The APC will defeat him again now that Tinubu is the President and the leader of the party. It is not the Buhari’s cult followership that matters. It is the party arrangement. Buhari did not contest on an independent candidature status.
“Forget about the shenanigans that are on display now. When it’s time for election, the party will readily package its candidate and matches them for the consumption of the people. And I assure you that the people will buy it. But it is too early to start discussing this. But you know politicians for who they are.
“They always want to heat up the politics so that they keep seeing things as relevant. But in a four-year term, the president has just done slightly above one year and you are already thinking of somebody to bring in. No problem, democracy permits people to test the waters. But we will do things when it is time for them to be done,” he stated.
Efforts to get the reaction of Jonathan’s camp were unsuccessful.
The spokesperson for the former President, Ikechukwu Eze, to clarify if his principal was interested in running for the 2027 presidential race, he bailed out.
“Please send me a text. I am driving at the moment,” he said before cutting the line.
As of the time of filing this report, Eze neither picked up the reporter’s calls nor replied the SMS sent for reaction.
According DailyPost, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has claimed that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party will never emerge Nigerian President again.
Wike, who spoke on Sunday during an official Thanksgiving Service for the Successful Completion of Projects Commissioning by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the St. James’ Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja said Peter Obi’s time has passed.
According to him, Obi’s supporters are only following emotions, stating that they barely know the former Anambra Governor.
He said, “They say Peter Obi will be President, President where? Out of emotion, most of you are just following someone you don’t know.
“For eight years, Obi was a governor but he never conducted local government election. Now he is saying that democracy is not working but it worked in his time.
“Only Obi was governor and chairman of all the local governments in Anambra State at the same time. The time has passed, he won’t have the opportunity again”.
Recalls that Wike had in April this year, revealed that he did not support Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election because the LP candidate “had no chance of winning”.
Politics
ADC: ‘Coalition of corruption’ – More knocks for Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, others over ‘rebranded’ agenda
The coalition comprised of influential political figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, David Mark, and Rauf Aregbesola, as part of the Alliance Democratic Congress (ADC), represents a significant strategic effort to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
With Atiku Abubakar at the forefront, these leaders are united by a common goal: to mount a formidable challenge against the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose administration has faced its share of controversies and criticisms.
This coalition aims not only to secure a win for its chosen candidate but also to address the pressing socio-economic issues that have affected many Nigerians, such as unemployment, education, and healthcare access.
However, recent reports suggest that the road ahead is fraught with complexity, as various factions within the coalition engage in strategic negotiations and maneuvering to determine the party’s presidential nominee.
Ultimately, the coalition’s success will hinge on their ability to unite behind a candidate who genuinely embodies the aspirations and needs of the Nigerian people, paving the way for a more inclusive and responsive governance.
Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), has described the newly formed ADC coalition as a gathering of political actors responsible for Nigeria’s longstanding woes, warning Nigerians not to be deceived by their “rebranded” agenda.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Joseph, who also leads the Rescue Movement for New Nigeria, said the coalition is “deeply insulting to our collective intelligence,” adding that its members are the same figures who built the “Emilokan” brand of governance now embodied by President Bola Tinubu.
“Today, these same failed leaders have rebranded themselves overnight, claiming they want to ‘rescue’ Nigeria. From what, if not the very destruction they orchestrated?” he asked.
Joseph said the political coalition lacks sincerity and is driven not by values or vision, but by desperation and self-preservation.
“It is a tragedy that these old political figures—who once had power and opportunity to do right by Nigerians but instead enriched themselves—are now aligning for selfish interests under the pretense of national salvation,” he said.
He argued that the future of Nigeria does not lie in “defecting politicians or recycled coalitions,” but in the hands of ordinary Nigerians.
“The next election belongs to the ordinary Nigerian who has suffered silently for too long, the Nigerian youth, cheated and sidelined for decades, the market women, who have been used and discarded, the Christian community praying for true change, the Muslims yearning for justice, equity, and a functional nation,” he stated.
Aiming for the key figures behind the coalition, Joseph questioned their credibility and motives.
His words: “Atiku Abubakar and his PDP camp cannot even resolve their own internal crises.
“Peter Obi is incapable of leading the Labour Party, Nasir El-Rufai is angry because he didn’t get a ministerial appointment, despite the pain he left behind in Kaduna, and Rauf Aregbesola left no meaningful legacy either as governor or as minister.”
He said the coalition leaders were all part of the political class that created the national rot that President Tinubu merely inherited.
“What we are witnessing is not a coalition for Nigeria, but a coalition of corruption, a coalition of greed, and a setup for yet another failed government in new clothing.
“It is the same old wine in a new bottle. Nigerians must not be fooled,” he noted.
“Our Memorandum of Understanding with the Kwankwasiya Movement, led by Kwankwaso ended shortly after the 2023 presidential election.”
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) says its 2023 presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso do not have its platform for contest against President Bola Tinubu and or any other presidential candidate at the moment in 2027.
The NNPP National Chairman, Dr Agbo Major made this known in a statement on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Major was speaking on the backdrop of claims by Elder Buba Galadima that Kwankwaso will stay and run for presidency on the NNPP platform.
Galadima, who claimed that there is no evidence that Kwankwaso is joining the All Progressives Congress as speculated, said they would “strategically stay in the NNPP until the whistle is blown for 2027 politics” urging Nigerians to support Kwankwaso to take over as president.
Agbo stated that the NNPP platform is closed to Kwankwaso and Galadima, who had long been expelled from its fold for anti party activities.
‘The NNPP had long expelled Kwankwaso and Galadima and so, they no longer speak for us nor can they use our platform for any political contest.
“Our Memorandum of Understanding with the Kwankwasiya Movement, led by Kwankwaso ended shortly after the 2023 presidential election.
“We cannot even allow Kwankwaso for whatever reason to return on the NNPP fold because of the problems and internal wranglings he created for us.
“Kwankwaso led us into unnecessary litigations and even changed our party logo to the Kwankwasiya logo, all in an attempt to hijack the leadership of the party.
“It was the Court’s interventions that led to INEC changing back to our Logo that they submitted after a Kangaroo convention in Abuja,” he said .
He said that Kwankwaso must be counting on another free ticket like he got for the 2023 presidential election but it would not happen again.
“Certainly, Kwankwaso can never join any political party where he will not have the chance of leadership.
“Kwankwaso and his group remain expelled and we will not readmit them because they betrayed our trust massively.
“He does not have the pedigree to match President Tinubu in any contest and so his ambition is dead on arrival,” he said.
The NNPP chairman insisted that though it is Kwankwaso’s right as a Nigerian to seek to contest for any office, he should do so without getting the party involved in any of his antagonisms against the President.
He disclosed that the NNPP is being approached by some intending aspirants and shall dwell on that at the appropriate time.
“Whoever will emerge as the NNPP 2027 presidential candidate will do so, following due process and constitutionality.
“We will no longer handover our ticket on a platter of gold, and definitely not to someone who betrayed our trust and is no longer on the party,” Major added.
He urged Nigerians to disregard utterances against the Presidency and APC by Kwankwaso and his group, claiming they are speaking for the NNPP.
“The NNPP as a party believes in constructive criticisms of issues and not against personalities or other political parties. We advise Kwankwaso to float his own party and use it for his own agenda.
“NNPP has moved on and can’t be dragged into unnecessary controversies again,” he added. (NAN)
The former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has vowed to support the erstwhile governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, if he emerges as the coalition’s flagbearer.
Lamido stated this while responding to a question from newsmen as to whether he would support Obi, who has offered to spend a single term of four years if he wins the 2027 presidential election
According to him, he is ready to support Obi or anyone committed to rescuing Nigeria. He, however, stated that he would not leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said, “If the coalition produces Peter Obi or anyone else committed to rescuing Nigeria, I will support them. But I remain PDP. We should have outgrown tribal and regional sentiments.
“Leadership should be about competence and vision, not geography. What has the North gained from producing the most presidents if the region remains underdeveloped? I’m open to any arrangement that can confront the APC and rescue Nigeria. I’ll support those who share that goal.”
The former governor explained that zoning between the North and South was a creation of the PDP, designed to solve a specific problem, which was the annulment of the June 12 election.
According to him, “it was meant to be a healing mechanism, a temporary measure to restore trust. But now, it has become an albatross.”
Sen. Nicholas Tofowomo, who represented Ondo South from 2019 to 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), has dumped the party for the Alliance Democratic Party (ADC).
Tofowomo’s resignation letter dated July 4, was addressed to Mr Joseph Akindolire, PDP Chairman, Ward 3, Ile-Oluji, Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Confirming his resignation in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Okitipupa on Friday, the former Senator lamented that the ongoing intra-party conflict in the PDP was taking its toll on the party .
“Most PDP members are moving out in droves and seems the crisis in the party will not settle soon. I had to seek advice from my political family and took my decision to join the ADC.
“If I want position, I should have joined the APC but I decided to join the coalition ADC which I believe has the power, strength, resources and political will to tackle the APC in 2027 general elections,” he said.
Tofowomo praised President Bola Tinubu for turning around the fortunes of Lagos State while he was governor, saying that Tinubu’s position has changed since he became the President.
He noted that the current economic hardship in the country was worrisome “without any sign of improvement in sight.”
“Tinubu was a fantastic leader when he was Lagos governor, but his position has changed since he became President. Today, there’s increasing poverty and hunger everywhere.
“The two mistakes Tinubu made was the subsidy removal and the floating of the Naira which has taken Nigeria to the back seat,” Tofowomo said.
He expressed confidence that ADC has the wherewithal to wrestle power from APC in 2027 and return Nigeria back to the part of economic recovery.
“When Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President was in charge with former President Olusegun Obasanjo form 1999 to 2007, the debt of Nigeria was reduced to zero and the economy was buoyant, and Nigerians enjoyed the administration.
“Even when David Mark was the Senate President, the Senate was not a rubber stamp and messier as we can see now, the Senate then stood up for all that was right and reject everything that was bad,” Tofowomo said.
(NAN
The Zamfara State Chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has extended an open invitation to Governor Dauda Lawal and other credible politicians in the state to join the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with newsmen in Gusau on Friday, the State Chairman of ADC, Kabiru Garba, disclosed that the party had already received over 100 new members from various political parties in the last ten days, describing the defections as a major boost to the party’s strength and credibility.
“As I am speaking now, over 100 members from various political parties have so far defected to the ADC in Zamfara within the last ten days,” Garba said.
He expressed optimism that more politicians from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would soon join the ADC fold in Zamfara, emphasising that the party is open to all who possess political integrity and a commitment to good governance.
“We are appealing to credible politicians who have a good record of political integrity to join the ADC. All we need is credibility,” he added.
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Garba affirmed that the ADC leadership in the state remained solid and prepared to lead the party to victory in the upcoming election cycle. He said the party’s structure and manifesto are well-positioned to address the developmental needs of Zamfara State and Nigeria at large.
“We are ready to lead this party to success in 2027. We are capable, and our party’s manifesto is tailored toward the development of Zamfara and the nation as a whole.”
The ADC chairman described the party as a welcoming platform for all leaders who are focused on positive change.
“The ADC in Zamfara would be glad to welcome His Excellency, Governor Dauda Lawal, if he chooses to join our party,” Garba concluded.
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