The reported 2027 presidential ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan has intensified the leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party, as rival factions clash over his possible participation in the race.
The dispute follows reports that supporters of Jonathan were mobilising to purchase the party’s N100 million presidential nomination form ahead of the deadline set by competing PDP leadership blocs.
The faction aligned with Nyesom Wike announced that sales of nomination forms would end today, while the rival Interim National Working Committee led by Kabiru Turaki fixed May 13 as the closing date and May 14 for submission of completed forms.
Although the Independent National Electoral Commission currently recognises the Wike-backed faction, both camps claim to possess and have submitted the authentic PDP membership register to the electoral body.
Despite growing speculation, Jonathan had not obtained a nomination form from either faction as of last night, leaving uncertainty around his political plans and highlighting the deep divisions within the opposition party.
The internal conflict followed the recent Supreme Court judgment that nullified the November 2025 PDP convention in Ibadan which produced Turaki as national chairman. After the ruling, the Wike-backed camp assumed control of party structures and secured INEC recognition.
However, the party’s Board of Trustees, led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, argued that the judgment effectively left the party without leadership because key figures involved in forming the caretaker committee had earlier been expelled from the PDP.
Speaking on the development, Mohammed Haruna Jungudo, spokesperson of the Wike-backed faction, dismissed claims that Jonathan was working with their camp.
“Goodluck has not purchased our form yet and he has not been romancing with us, so we are not expecting him to come,” Jungudo said.
Meanwhile, the Turaki-led faction said Jonathan remained a registered member of the party and was free to pursue his ambition through its structure.
“We’ll welcome Jonathan,” said the faction’s spokesman, Ini Ememobong, adding that the former president’s name remained on their membership register.
Court Case Challenging Jonathan’s Eligibility Takes New Twist
The legal challenge against Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election also took a dramatic turn after the plaintiff accused the presiding judge of bias.
An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, filed a petition seeking the withdrawal of Justice Peter Lifu from the case before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The plaintiff alleged that the judge denied him adequate time to respond to court filings after granting only three days — including a weekend — instead of the 14 days allowed under court rules.
Jideobi further argued that Justice Lifu introduced issues relating to INEC’s election timetable without prompting from any of the parties, claiming the move suggested partiality.
He therefore requested the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, to transfer the case to another judge and suspend proceedings pending a decision on the request.
At yesterday’s hearing, neither the plaintiff nor representatives of INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation appeared in court. Jonathan’s legal team, led by Chief Chris Uche (SAN), asked the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution or dismiss it with a N5 million cost award.
Justice Lifu, however, declined the request and adjourned the matter until May 15 after noting that there was no evidence the absent parties had been served hearing notices.
The suit seeks a court order stopping Jonathan from contesting the presidency in 2027, arguing that if elected again, he would exceed the constitutional limit of eight years in office after completing the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s tenure and later serving a full term after the 2011 election.
Jonathan has asked the court to dismiss the case, insisting that courts had already settled the constitutional issues surrounding his eligibility in previous rulings.
