Dissociate yourself from presidential convention, Wike-backed PDP urges Jonathan

…FCT minister warns event centres, hotels against hosting unrecognised parties
…We’ll resist every attempt to intimidate us, Turaki-led PDP replies

THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Honourable Abdulrahman Mohammed, has urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly distance himself from ongoing efforts to link his name to a 2027 presidential bid.

The party said it was time for Jonathan to dissociate himself from what it described as a “charade” in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation.

The call came on Friday as the Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the PDP, led by Dr Tanimu Turaki, prepared to hold a special convention today to ratify Jonathan as its 2027 presidential candidate.

Both the Mohammed-led NWC and the Turaki-led INWC had earlier conducted separate primaries for elective positions ahead of the 2027 elections, producing candidates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On Wednesday, former Senator Sandy Ojang Onor emerged as the PDP presidential candidate through what was described as a “consensus affirmation” after the Mohammed-led NWC concluded its primaries for governorship, state Houses of Assembly and National Assembly positions.

However, the Turaki-led INWC, which also conducted parallel party processes, fixed today (Saturday) to ratify Jonathan as its own presidential candidate.

Observers have noted that the former president’s silence on the issue has fuelled speculation, while his aides and associates have also refrained from making public comments.

Findings by our correspondent showed that there is no public record indicating that Jonathan expressed interest in the race or purchased nomination forms for the 2027 election.

Similarly, there is no record that he submitted nomination forms or appeared before the screening committee established by the Turaki-led INWC.

Nevertheless, during the screening exercise held on May 19, former Niger State governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, a member of the screening committee, announced that Jonathan had been granted a waiver as the sole presidential candidate of the PDP.

READ ALSO: National convention date sacrosanct— Wike-backed PDP

He said: “The party had already given our presidential aspirant the waiver.

“Like I said in the beginning, he was deputy governor, became governor, became vice president and became president.

“So, we didn’t see anything that needed screening and therefore the party had given him a waiver. In other words, he had been declared and cleared as the candidate of the PDP for the presidential election, and that is President Jonathan.”

On Thursday, the Turaki-led camp fixed today, Saturday, May 30, as the date for its convention to ratify Jonathan’s candidacy.

Reacting to the plan, the Mohammed-led NWC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, urged party members and Nigerians to disregard the Turaki-led group, insisting that the PDP had already concluded its primaries in line with the Electoral Act, 2026.

The NWC specifically called on Jonathan to publicly disown the group and the continued use of his name.

It said: “The party wishes to categorically state that no such convention, meeting, or process has been scheduled, approved or endorsed by the leadership or any recognised organ of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“We therefore urge all party faithful, supporters, stakeholders and members of the general public to disregard such false information, as it is misleading, unauthorised and intended to create confusion within the polity.

“It is important, for the avoidance of doubt, to state that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has successfully concluded all its primary elections, including those for governorship, State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly and presidential positions, in accordance with INEC guidelines, the provisions of the Electoral Act and the constitution of the Party.

“All such exercises across the country were peacefully conducted and properly monitored and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“In view of this development, we respectfully call on former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from this charade in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation.”

Amid the controversy, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, warned event centres and hotels in Abuja against hosting political parties not recognised by INEC.

The directive was conveyed through his media aide, Mr Lere Olayinka.

“Owners of event centres and hotels, in particular, must ensure that they only deal with INEC-recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities and proper records of transactions must be kept,” Olayinka stated.

In response, the Turaki-led INWC vowed to proceed with the convention and resist what it described as attempts at intimidation.

The group said it had signed a binding agreement with A-Class Event Centre, the venue for the convention and would proceed with the event despite Wike’s warning.

“We have been informed by the proprietors of A-Class Event Centre of the threat by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to shut down their business premises if the Peoples Democratic Party is allowed to use their hall for our presidential candidate ratification ceremony.

“We state here, and for the record, that we furnished full consideration to consummate the earlier offer and acceptance. Furthermore, we duly notified all relevant security agencies about the event. We have directed our lawyers to write, reminding A-Class Event Centre of these facts,” the group said.

The statement, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, added: “Having satisfied these requirements, we reiterate that the special convention to ratify the presidential candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan will hold as scheduled on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at A-Class Event Centre, Wuse 2, Abuja, by 10 a.m.

“We are certain that Nigeria is a country governed by law, and any attempt to use force to suppress political dissent and opposition is an aberration that must be resisted by all people of good conscience.

“There is nowhere in our laws where the Minister of the FCT is empowered to determine events that should be held and where they should be held. Such limitless powers are strange to a democratic republic and are available only under an emperor — a title that President Tinubu has been struggling to deny.”

The group also invited party leaders from the states, members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and other stakeholders to attend the convention.

Meanwhile, INEC continues to recognise the Mohammed-led NWC on its official portal following judicial interventions in the PDP leadership crisis, including the Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 30.

Although the judgment was expected to settle the dispute, the PDP has continued to function through two rival structures, each claiming legitimacy while insisting that there remains only one PDP.