The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan and any of its members from southern Nigeria are free to contest the party’s primary to fly its flag in the 2027 presidential election.
PDP National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, who led the National Working Committee (NWC) in a closed-door meeting with former Vice President Arc. Nnamdi Sambo on Tuesday, said the party has zoned its presidential ticket for 2027 to the southern region of the country.
Turaki emphasized that the party does not yet know who will emerge as its presidential candidate, “even though we know those who will not be our candidate.” He assured that the process will be open, transparent, fair, and equitable, providing a level playing field for all aspirants.
“The ticket is open for every member of PDP living in southern Nigeria or of southern Nigeria descent,” he said. “For whatever reason anybody wants to contest, we want to assure Nigerians that they will be the deciders of who becomes the candidate.”
Reacting to the dismissal of a case filed against the PDP by former National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Turaki described the ruling as a vindication that the party conducted a legal national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State last year, where the new NWC members were elected.
He said, “The judgment of Justice Umar has vindicated us in PDP that we are the genuine leaders of the party; it confirmed that our convention was legitimately conducted, and that people cannot arbitrarily claim leadership of a political party. This is not a market association, nor an association of shoe-shiners. This is a political party, and discipline must prevail.”
Turaki further revealed that former Vice President Sambo, who offered guidance on repositioning the party as a winning platform for Nigerians, assured the PDP leadership of his continued membership and more active involvement in the near future.
“He assured us that should there be any matter requiring attention, we should not hesitate to seek his support, and he will be up and doing,” Turaki said.
He concluded by assuring that the PDP is on course to regain its winning ways, starting with upcoming elections in the FCT area councils, and the Ekiti and Osun off-season elections.
