By Abiola Olawale
Several members of the Peoples Democratic Party have begun to drum support for former President Goodluck Jonathan, urging him to contest the presidential race of 2027.
Reports emerging in the past days suggest that many elites and stakeholders of the party are mulling the idea of drafting into the ring former president Jonathan to jostle with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming 2027 general election.
This is as some PDP members are said to have a strong conviction that Jonathan’s candidacy will resonate well with Nigerians in the battle for the presidency in 2027.
It would be recalled that speculations had intensified after Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauch State declared that he was ready to support Jonathan with all his strength if he agreed to contest in 2027.
Mohammed vowed to drop his presidential ambition should Jonathan declare his intention.
Mohammed, who spoke at an event organised by a non-governmental organisation, Save Africa Initiative, in Abuja, said, “I know there are good leaders within the PDP, especially my boss, Goodluck Jonathan.
“I have always said that as long as Jonathan is around, I will not present myself for leadership of this country unless he decides not to run.
“If we can persuade him to come forward, I will support him with my blood. Out of modesty, he is still not ready. I hope you will meet him and encourage him to run.”
Also, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who spoke with the press, revealed that many members of the party, especially Northern elites share the same view as the Bauchi governor.
He said: “We are absolutely in support of the position of the Bauchi State governor. Don’t forget that he was a prominent member of Jonathan’s administration, where he was a minister. As the chairman of the 13 governors of the PDP, a two-term minister, former senator and a two-term governor rounding off his second term, you will expect him to understand and appreciate the situation of where this country is coming from, where it is at the moment and where we hope to take it to in the future.”
Meanwhile, it is still unclear if Jonathan will contest for the forthcoming 2027 General election.
