- Urges interested aspirants to declare
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has disclosed that the 2027 presidential ticket is open to former president Goodluck Jonathan and every member of the party from the southern region.
The National Chairman of the party, Tanimu Turaki, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja shortly after meeting with former Vice President Namadi Sambo.
Addressing journalists after the three-hour, Turaki said that Sambo has promised to support the party ahead of the 2027 election.
Asked if Jonathan will contest the 2027 election, Turaki said: “You see, like I’ve always said, we in PDP have decided to zone our presidential ticket to the southern part of this country. For now, we do not know who may emerge as our candidate, even though we know those who will not be our candidates.
“So it’s open for every member of PDP that is living in southern Nigeria or southern Nigeria descent.
“The process is going to be open, it’s going to be transparent, it’s going to be fair, it’s going to be equitable, and it’s going to create a level playing field for everybody.
“So if, for whatever reason, anybody wants to contest, we want to assure you, Nigerians, that you will be the deciders of who becomes your candidate.”
On the assurance that the former Vice President will back the party ahead of the 2027 election, Turaki said, “We had met with His Excellency, and we’ve had a very, very useful discussion with him. We told him the prospects and the challenges we’ve been facing since our election in Ibadan.
“And His Excellency had generously proffered advice and guidance to us on the way to move forward as far as propelling this party to once again become a veritable winning platform for Nigerians.
“But the most important thing for us this evening is the assurance that His Excellency had given us that he is and will continue to remain a member of the PDP.
“And His Excellency had assured us that very soon he would become more active than he used to be. And he assured us that should there be anything at any time that requires attention, that we should not hesitate to run to him, and he will be up and doing. And he will be there for us.
“So once again, we are happy that our leaders, those who are behind the successes that PDP has achieved in this country, are with us and they are going to remain with us.”
Reacting to the dismissal of the Samuel Anyanwu case at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Turaki said that courts have no business dabbling in party matters.
He said: “Yes, it is a vindication for us in the PDP family. We’ve said time and time again that the decision of the Supreme Court is sacrosanct. That our courts have no business meddling in matters that are purely political party matters. And that is why when some judges, who are judges of particular concern, have recently given judgments, dabbling into issues they ordinarily should not dabble into, and given judgments, as it were, that cannot be rationalized by whatever level of argument you want to advance, if anything, trying to smear the name of the judiciary as an impartial institution, which is the last hope of the common man.
“The judgment of Justice Umar today has vindicated us in PDP that, yes, we are the genuine leaders of PDP. Had vindicated us that, yes, our convention was legitimately done, had vindicated us that, indeed, people cannot just go into one corner and then begin to ascribe to themselves the leadership of a political party. This is not a market association, nor is it an association of shoe-shiners. This is a political party, and there must be discipline.”
Asked what the party is doing to accelerate court cases, the Turaki said, “I think as a lawyer I can tell you that what the party can do will not go beyond making sure that all our papers are properly filed and timeously.
“For us, we fulfil all righteousness. We’ve done everything that we need to do. We’re waiting for this to be given for us, for our lawyers to go and argue our appeals.”
Present at the visit were members of the Turaki-led NWC, Chairman of BoT Adolphus Wabara, pioneer PDP National Secretary Prof. Jerry Gana, former Minister of Women Affairs Iyom Josephine Anenih, leader of the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Fred Agbedi, former governor of Plateau State Jonah Jang and other stakeholders.