The reported 2027 presidential ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan has stirred divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South, with party stakeholders taking opposing positions.
While some leaders and political groups have urged Jonathan to rejoin the PDP and contest, others argue he should not challenge President Bola Tinubu. Aides to the former president have confirmed he is still consulting on whether to enter the race.
The development has created fault lines across the region. In Bayelsa, Jonathan’s home state, the party is awaiting Governor Douye Diri’s position. In Rivers, the faction loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike dismissed Jonathan’s return as unrealistic, while the camp aligned with suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara welcomed the possibility.
The Edo and Delta chapters openly endorsed Jonathan, with PDP leaders in Akwa Ibom saying they would wait for a formal declaration before taking a stance. Meanwhile, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, recently met Jonathan in Bayelsa to discuss his possible comeback.
Support has also come from prominent figures such as former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido and ex-Information Minister Jerry Gana, who have urged him to run under PDP.
Jonathan’s eligibility remains a subject of debate. A 2018 constitutional amendment bars anyone twice sworn into office from seeking the presidency again. However, Jonathan’s camp cites a 2022 Federal High Court judgment in Yenagoa affirming his right to contest.
While the Pan Niger Delta Forum insists the presidency should remain in the South in 2027, groups such as the Ijaw Youth Council expressed mixed feelings, cautioning against political manipulation but pledging support if Jonathan enters the race.
