Turaki's PDP adopts former President Jonathan as its Presidential candidate

The Tanimu Turaki led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, on Tuesday, said it has adopted former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election

This adoption came ahead of the pending case at an Abuja court, over the eligibility of the former President to contest for the 2027 presidential election.

The court has however, fixed Monday, May 25th for the ruling that will determine the former President’s eligibility for the 2027 presidential election.

Babangida Aliyu, leading the party’s screening committee disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, while fielding questions from Journalists.

Recall that the party had on Monday declared that the screening committee had concluded plans to screen Jonathan and other contestants for the various elective offices in the 2027 election at the Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.

The party later shelved the screening, while stating that a new date will be made known later, without providing any reasons.

The committee however reconvened the screening exercise on Tuesday at the Rivers hall of the TransCorp Hilton, Abuja.

Aliyu, speaking with Journalists after screening aspirants, disclosed that the party had already given a presidential aspirant a waiver from screening.

“Like I said in the beginning, he was deputy governor, became governor, became vice president, became president, so we didn’t see anything that needed screening.

” Therefore, the party had given him waiver. In other words, he has been declared and cleared as a candidate of the PDP for the presidential election, and that is former President Jonathan.

“The other waiver is also for the former deputy governor and ambassador, and the secretary of the party, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja who for many reasons, have to be in Ibadan, Oyo State to ensure that everything has gone well. So we also declared him as been given a waiver by the party.

BusinessDay gathered that aspirants were screened for the position of Governor for Taraba, one from Adamawa, one from Kano, one from Akwa Ibom, one each from Delta, and Kano.

Aliyu, who was the former Governor of Niger state, stated that” anytime the other people come within the screening period, we will continue the screening exercise.

“We are very happy that even those who have been attempting to kill the party cannot succeed, and the party will contest this election by the grace of God and by the constitution of Nigeria.

Asked to confirm that former President Goodluck Jonathan is the presidential candidate for the party, he said ” As far as I know, as far as of today, at this moment, yes, sir.”
According to him the screening followed the approved Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections by the National Executive Committee (NEC) at its 104th Meeting, the Interim National Working Committee (iNWC).

Consequently, the total Number of aspirants expected to be screened are: 2,122 SHOA, 748 HOR, 198 Senatorial, 112 Gubernatorial and 1 Presidential.

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The committee had earlier screened Joel Ikenya for the Taraba governorship position.

Ikenya who hails from Taraba State, had earlier served as a former member House of Assembly and former House of Rep member, as well as the Minister of Labour in Jonathan’s government.

“I am from Taraba State. I’m running to represent Taraba State and the executive arm of government.
” I’ve run before. I believe that this is the right time for me and I have a lot for our people especially you know we are agrarian states, believing that I am getting into through to the government house i should be able to pull my people out of poverty especially engaging agriculture and also an area of healthcare delivery.

Ikenya who states that he is conversant with the security challenge of the country, added that ” having the right people at this at the centre and also at the middle, collaborating and working together .
“Security is not an individual thing it’s a question of both the community and the people who are in government and people who are not in government working together to see our country secure, our state secure, enable people to go to their farms and come back.
Enable people to go and do businesses and come back, and nobody will be afraid of doing business.”
On his plans for the state, he added ” If you talk of solid minerals, we are the best. If you talk of Mambila Hydro which can take care of this country, having a good leadership in the state working together with federal government, i believe that Mambila hydro will be a reality .
it’s also a political will. I do know with political will of a leader a lot can be achieved, a lot can be done..

The party also screened Benedict Etanabene a gubernatorial aspirants in Delta state, who vowed to take the state from the All Progressive Congress.

” I took the decision that the PDP is the best of all the opposition parties that we have in Nigeria today, you know, either by the sincerity of purpose, like in one instance again the current Labour Party as it is, you know, they are going to adopt the sitting President. I don’t see the rationale why we are an opposition party and we are adopting the sitting president of the ruling party. Then the reasons for being opposition is no longer tenable.

“So PDP is the most stable of all the political parties and in fact is the oldest. The time PDP managed this country, we recorded tremendous successes. One in the growth of democracy, two economy. We were the giant of Africa in economy at that time.

He rejected the view that the party is factionalized.

” I do see any reason to believe that the party is divided, specially with the last judgment from the Supreme Court. I’m a lawyer, not a baby lawyer for that matter.

“So the Supreme Court has made it clear, the direction and who is responsible, to take the party to the next level. And I think what is happening today, those managing the party are on the right track.

” I’m not shy, I’m not really a capitalist democrat. I don’t believe the way we are practicing this capitalist democracy in Nigeria, copying from the United States, it’s about the best. The reasons I give is that, not that capitalist democracy is not good, it is good.

“So what I’m offering the people of Delta is a situation where government will certainly be involved in creating jobs, not leaving it for the private sector, and putting wealth to the people and developing infrastructures collectively. For example, I believe that all the councilors in Delta are mainly governors of their own. So development must start from the various wards, meaning that all councilors will be entitled to a budget in the states, domiciled in the local government account, but when they finish, they will audit the account and get reimbursement from it.

Also screened was Sharif Abdullahi, who emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of PDP in Yobe state.

” I vied for the same post in 2023. I’m also contesting in 2027.

Abdullahi who described Yobe state as among the most backward states in Nigeria, added that ” It was created since 1991 but still lacking behind Jigawa and Gombe state who are our neighbors.

” When I’m elected, I’ll make sure I improve on the educational sector, on the health sector, and on agricultural sector” .