- Edo, Delta PDP: “We’ll Support Jonathan”
- Rivers PDP: “Jonathan not best candidate for PDP”
By Abiola Olawale
Following increasing reports of a potential run for the presidency by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2027 presidential election, the South South caucus bloc of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has been greeted with rift as all the States opt to support the erstwhile President except Rivers State, which is kicking seriously against the move.
The New Diplomat’s checks reveal that several underground political negotiations and meetings are currently ongoing, particularly within the PDP which has been wooing Jonathan to enter the ring and contest against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
However, The New Diplomat’s investigations show that while many states in the South South geo-political zone have chosen to back Jonathan’s potential candidacy, Rivers State PDP caucus on the other hand, is opposed to the likely candidacy of the former president.
The Edo chapter of the PDP has welcomed the prospect of having Jonathan on the ballot, describing him as a breath of fresh air.
Party leaders in Delta State equally said they have pledged their support for the Bayelsa-born politician.
Meanwhile, the PDP in Akwa Ibom State saud it is waiting for Jonathan’s formal declaration before announcing its position.
Speaking on Jonathan’s bid, the Edo State chapter of the PDP stated that his return to the party and national leadership would be a refreshing development and a thing of joy for the PDP and Nigeria
The Edo PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, said: “While Dr. Jonathan has not yet formally declared his intention to run, there is no doubt that he remains one of the most qualified leaders in our nation’s history.
“His tenure as President continues to stand as a reference point for good governance, national cohesion, and a better Nigeria.
“For us in the Edo PDP, his potential return to the saddle of leadership would come as a breath of fresh air for the country. As a party, we have always placed the collective interest of Nigerians above all else when making critical decisions.”
However, in Rivers State, the PDP faction loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed calls for Jonathan to contest, while the camp aligned with suspended Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara described it as a worthy move considering Jonathan’s record in office.
The state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kenneth Yorwika, a Wike loyalist, stated: “First of all, Jonathan has not been an active member of the party. I don’t know whether, in recent times, anybody has seen him attending the activities of the party.
“So, the PDP in Rivers State, we have not even seen him in any of our activities recently. It is a far cry from the reality on the ground now. And then the PDP in Rivers State actually thinks that the President that we have now is doing all he can to make sure that there is an improvement in the livelihood of citizens of Nigeria.
“So, talking about the former President, he did his time and we actually believe he has done his time and his past. Talking about him and the PDP, he has not been in our activities. So, we have not seen him at all in any of our activities that we have been having recently.”
