By Emmanuel Thomas l Saturday, May 30.26
ABUJA — The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has unanimously affirmed former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The major political development unfolded on Saturday under dramatic circumstances, following a heavy security lockdown at the original venue of the party’s Special National Convention in Abuja.
The PDP faction, led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, revealed that it had fully paid for the ‘A Class Event Centre’ in Abuja and formally notified both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant security agencies. However, the event took a chaotic turn when the venue management abruptly cancelled the booking.
According to a statement from the PDP leadership, the management cited direct threats from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who allegedly threatened to revoke the facility’s Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) and demolish the building if the opposition event was permitted to hold.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) later reinforced this stance, issuing a public notice warning business premises against hosting “unlawful” events.
By 7:00 PM on Friday evening, more than 20 truckloads of police personnel were deployed to barricade the entire access road leading to the event centre, disrupting traffic and forcing motorists to drive against the flow of vehicles.
Faced with potential bloodshed, the PDP summoned an emergency stakeholder meeting comprising its Board of Trustees (BoT), Interim National Working Committee, National Executive Committee (NEC), state chairmen, and 2027 candidates.
The party stated that following passionate appeals from elder statesmen, it chose to abort initial plans to forcefully resist the security forces. Quoting an African proverb to explain their restraint, the party leadership noted:
”When a mad person runs away with your clothing, you do not chase the deranged person naked; otherwise, those who see the chase will simply conclude that two mad people are running.”
Bypassing the physical blockade, party leaders met at an alternate location to conduct their core agenda. A motion to affirm former President Goodluck Jonathan as the PDP flagbearer for the 2027 presidential election was successfully moved, seconded, and passed unanimously.
The formal presentation of the party flag will be held at a later date.
PDP Slams Tinubu, Wike Over ‘Dictatorship’
In a sharp rebuke following the session, the PDP strongly condemned the actions of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, alleging he acted with the explicit backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The party warned that such a “brazen use of unmitigated power” signals a dangerous tilt toward a full-blown dictatorship that could collapse Nigeria’s democracy.
”This shameful oppression has validated the widely perceived fear of the PDP by the ruling party,” the statement read, adding that other political parties facing internal leadership crises have been allowed to hold conventions unhindered.
The PDP called on President Tinubu to “rein in his fear of impending loss” and take urgent steps to de-escalate growing political tension across the country.
The crisis trailing the PDP’s Special National Convention is the latest chapter in a protracted, multi-factional battle for the soul of Nigeria’s main opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The PDP has been split into bitter ideological camps. On one side is the faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, which enjoys the backing of major party organs, elder statesmen, and elements eager to present a formidable northern-southern consensus ticket.
On the other side is a faction sympathetic to the current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. Despite serving as a cabinet minister under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration led by President Bola Tinubu, Wike has fiercely maintained his structural grip on sections of the PDP leadership, leading to parallel authority structures within the party.
The emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as a consensus figure marks a massive shift in the opposition’s strategy. Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015 under the PDP banner, remains constitutionally eligible to serve one additional four-year term. In the days leading up to the convention, Jonathan had publicly dropped hints regarding his political future, telling pressure groups in Abuja that a presidential run was “not a computer game” and required extensive nationwide consultations.
By unifying behind Jonathan, the Turaki-led faction is attempting to present a tested, universally recognized elder statesman to challenge the APC in 2027.
However, the forceful disruption of their convention in Abuja underscores the volatile administrative and legal hurdles the party must navigate as the FCT administration tightens its grip on the nation’s capital.
Jonathan
