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2027 Elections – Jonathan splits South-South PDP

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The reported 2027 ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan has split the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-South into two camps, with the stakeholders holding divergent positions on the issue.

While some party members believed Jonathan should not contest against President Bola Tinubu, various political pressure groups drummed support for the ex-leader.

Aides to the former President have been quoted in the media that their principal was consulting on whether to throw his hat in the ring in 2027.

He was said to have been asked to contest the presidency by the PDP, the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the African Democratic Congress.

Jonathan’s home state, Bayelsa, is awaiting the position of Governor Douye Diri on the issue as the ex-president’s reported ambition has divided the loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in Rivers State, with the two camps taking opposite stance.

The Edo chapter of the party welcomes the prospect of having Jonathan on the ballot, describing him as a breath of fresh air.

Party leaders in Delta State equally pledged their support for the Bayelsa-born politician, while the PDP in Akwa Ibom State is waiting for Jonathan’s formal declaration before announcing its position.

Additionally, party leaders such as former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, former Minister of Information and National Orientation Jerry Gana, and others have publicly urged Jonathan and others to run under PDP.

However, Nigerians remain divided over Jonathan’s eligibility, following a 2018 constitutional amendment that prohibits anyone who has been sworn in twice in the past from contesting for the presidency or a governorship.

Sections 137(3) and 182(3) of the Constitution state that a person who has been sworn in to complete another person’s term as President or Governor may only be elected to that office for one additional term.

However, Jonathan’s office asserted that he could contest against Tinubu citing a 2022 court judgement which affirmed the ex -president’s right to run again.

The previously unpublished judgment delivered by a Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, confirmed that Jonathan was well qualified to contest the presidential election.

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.

The party Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, told The PUNCH in an interview that Jonathan is still regarded as one of the most qualified leaders in Nigeria’s history.

He said, “While Dr. Jonathan has not yet formally declared his intention to run, it is without 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.

“It would, therefore, be an honour and privilege for the Edo PDP to lead in rallying support for a government under the leadership of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, should he decide to run.”

The Bayelsa State chapter of the PDP was non-committal on Jonathan’s presidential ambition. Speaking to The PUNCH on Tuesday in Yenagoa, the acting Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, George Turnah, said Governor Diri is in the best position to provide a response.

He explained that, as the incumbent governor, Diri is the leader of the PDP in Bayelsa State and therefore holds the authority to speak on the matter.

“The governor is the leader of the party in the state. At that level, the governor will be in a better position to give a firm (answer) because usually he is the leader of the party in the state.

“As an individual, well, the story of President Jonathan is in the realm of speculation. There is really nothing for any of us to say now. It’s still in the realm of speculation. Whatever we say will be guesswork.’’

Continuing, he stated, ‘’For now, that’s what it is. When he comes out that he’s running, then we can now form a conversation, people can now form their opinions and build blocks and bridges. That’s when the conversation will begin.

“As a party official, holding a party position, because there will be other aspirants, it will not be right to, I’m speaking of me as a person, it is not expected that any officer of the party will hold any opinion.

“Our own responsibility will come immediately after candidates emerge. Once he becomes a property of the party, that’s where we take over. Until he becomes a property of the party, we are expected to be neutral.”

In Rivers State, the PDP faction loyal to Wike dismissed calls for Jonathan to contest, while the camp aligned with 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, told our reporter in a telephone chat that Jonathan had served his time and has been largely inactive in party affairs since leaving office in 2015.

He further noted that President Tinubu is performing creditably and making determined efforts to improve the lives of Nigerians.

Yorwika 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 think 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.”

Robinson Ewor, the factional PDP Chairman loyal to Fubara, could not be reached for comment. But a party chieftain and former federal lawmaker from Rivers State, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, said Jonathan had every right to contest, noting that he performed creditably in office and is widely respected for his peaceful nature.

Nwuke, an ally of the suspended governor and former representative of Etche-Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said the growing calls within the PDP and among Nigerians for Jonathan to run reflect the confidence the people have in him.

He noted that his time in office brought a measure of stability and that he possesses the qualities needed to provide the kind of leadership the nation desires now.

Nwuke stated, “I’m saying that as a person, Jonathan is entitled to contest. And it’s a good thing that within the PDP, there are growing demands for him to return to the ring.  But I think the choice of whether or not to be a candidate will be his to make.

“But the Nigerians think that having been someone who handed over power peacefully, whose tenure witnessed some level of stability and who continuously said his ambition did not worth the blood of anyone; there are people who think that going forward at this time as we move towards 2027 that he could offer the kind of leadership that Nigeria wants.

“So, I won’t be opposed to the idea of a former President who is within time. You know there is a court ruling saying he is free to contest. So, if the law is on his side and the people are on his side,  then why should anyone stop him from pursuing his ambition?’’

Likewise, the Delta State chapter of the PDP declared its readiness to support Jonathan if he contests the 2027 election on the party’s platform.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the PDP South-South Caretaker Committee, Emmanuel Ogidi, in an interview with The PUNCH in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

“If he comes on board, for me, I will support him because every party man will always support any member gunning for election.

“For now, he is still an elder statesman, a former president, and a member of the PDP — that is all. We don’t know anything about him contesting for president.”

Also, a member of PDP Delta State, Victor Ojei, told The PUNCH that Delta PDP will give former President Jonathan 100 per cent support if he joins the 2027 race.

“My brother, we in Delta PDP will support Goodluck Jonathan if he decides to contest for the 2027 election.”

The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the party said it would withhold its position until he formally declares his intention to contest the presidency.

State party chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan, told our correspondent that the former president has not informed anyone of such a decision, stressing that it is only proper to wait before taking a stand.

Akpan said, “We will wait until he declares his ambition. Personally, I am not aware that he is coming back.”

The Ijaw Youths Council said it would naturally back the former Bayelsa State governor should he contest in 2027.

The group voiced concern over what it described as the biased politics that ousted him from office, wondering whether the renewed calls for his candidacy are genuine or deceptive.

Lokpobiri stated, “Well, that is simply more of a personal lifetime decision of an individual. If he chooses to run, our primary aim is to stand with our own. We are likely to support him but the question is what chances does he have?

“And the politics of Nigeria, especially the biased politics of Northern Nigeria which swept the carpet under him even when he was  President and Commander-in-Chief? With another Southern Presidency, if he chose to run, I would rather feel that they would have deceived him into this thing.

“At this moment, we are a lot more concerned about his reputation and his profile globally rather than the opportunity to serve. You know his wife is dissenting about this call for his return to power.”

Sounding philosophical, the youth leader noted, “If it is his destiny, we cannot be a clog in that wheel of progress but I strongly will advise against him running.

‘’This is essential because at this moment we have a Southern Presidency and every attempt is to unite around a Southern Presidential effort. So, I do not think that he will run.

“He is somebody who has the requisite experience enough to decide whether or not he should take such a bold decision. But if he chooses to run, we can’t be against him. We’ll stand with him, but I do not think he will run.”

The Pan Niger Delta Forum reiterated its position that the South should produce Nigeria’s next president in 2027.

The apex socio-political body in the Niger Delta urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other northern aspirants to shelve their ambitions in the interest of national unity, noting that late former President Muhammadu Buhari had already served two full terms.

The National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, declared that his group’s objective is fairness, equity, and capable leadership for the country.

Ominimini said, “PANDEF practically supports that the next President of Nigeria in 2027 must come from Southern Nigeria. It is the prerogative of Southern Nigeria to produce the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because it has been affirmed and concluded that the presidency of this country rotates between Northern and Southern Nigeria.

“President Muhammadu Buhari did eight years which is two tenures. It is now the turn of Southern Nigeria to do two tenures. That was why we came out en masse as the apex socio-political body of the Niger Delta region and the South-South geo-political zone to state very clearly that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar shouldn’t be supported in 2023.

“And PANDEF is also of the opinion and has directed all our people to ensure that in 2027 they must vote for a Southern President. At this point, we cannot know who and who is running in 2027.

“It is when 2027 approaches that PANDEF will look at all the Southern candidates and choose one because we cannot stay afloat or stay by the road corner and not take decisions. We must decide who the region will support en masse.”

The PANDEF spokesperson noted that it was too early to endorse any candidate since the Independent National Electoral Commission has not released the 2027 election timetable.

He continued, “So, it is after the deadline for submission of candidates that PANDEF will look very clearly as to who is the most qualified candidate that will benefit the interest of the region. The interest of the region shall be the yardstick upon which PANDEF will take its decision as to who we will support.

“We will look at the records of any of them that have served before, we will look at the records as to what they have done with the office to benefit the region. Does such a person have hatred for the region or what has he done for the region?

‘’These are the things we will look at, and without bias we will take our decision. And that decision will influence the majority of the votes that will come from the South-South geo-political zone in 2027.

“PANDEF hereby call on Atiku and all other Northern elements to desist from running in 2027 should they believe in the unity of this country.”

When asked whether the body would back Jonathan if he contests,  Ominimini explained that PANDEF has members across different political parties and, as such, represents the collective interest of the Niger Delta region rather than any single individual.

According to him, “PANDEF is a political body but not a partisan body. In PANDEF today we have members of the APC, we have members of PDP, we have members of labour and we have members of ADC. I want to say without mincing words that all sons and daughters of Niger Delta are automatic members of PANDEF.

“So, when we speak we do not speak in favour of the party but in favour of the region, the region that has been neglected for many years till date.

‘’The region that produces oil and gas meanwhile the people of the region are not benefitting from what they have. These are the things we would look at in taking decisions because the Nigerian project does not favour Niger Delta as of today.”

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Over 6.2 million Nigerians complete online voter pre-registration – INEC

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More than 6.2 million Nigerians completed their online pre-registration for the Continuous Voter Registration during week six of the exercise, according to data released by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday.

The figures, published on INEC’s official X handle and website, showed that a total of 6,232,673 pre-registrants were recorded between September 22 and 28, 2025.

Of this number, 3,250,338 were female, representing 52.15 percent, while 2,982,335 were male, accounting for 47.85 percent . Youths aged 18 to 34 continued to dominate the process, with 4,230,715 registering within the period. Students made up a significant portion with 1,565,824 entries, while persons with disabilities totaled 137,865.

INEC also reported that 1,004,132 Nigerians completed both online and physical registrations in Week five, covering the period from September 22 to 26, 2025.

This figure includes 537,743 who finalized their registration online and 466,389 who completed the process physically.

Demographic data for the completed registrations in week five showed that 555,077 were female (55.28 percent) and 449,055 were male (44.72 percent). Youths made up 742,379 of the total, while students were 354,406. The number of registered PWDs during the week stood at 13,987.

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Osun PDP, APC clash as FG releases LG allocations

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The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, on Sunday, confirmed that the Federal Government had released the withheld six-month allocations for the state’s local government areas.

The APC, however, denied that the funds were paid into the private accounts of council chairmen elected on the platform of the APC in October 2022.

It said the funds were paid “into the local government councils’ accounts.”

However, the ruling PDP, which said it was not aware of the payment, demanded that the APC disclose the details of the accounts the funds were paid into.

The PDP wondered how the Federal Government would release the funds into bank accounts unknown to the state’s accountant general, auditor-general for local governments and the ministry of local governments.

The clash between the two parties comes after the National Union of Local Government Employees accused the Federal Government of illegally releasing the withheld six-month allocation to the APC.

Speaking on behalf of the union on Sunday, NULGE Chairman, Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe,  said the union had confirmed that the Federal Government paid the March–August 2025 allocations into accounts illegally opened by the APC chairmen and councillors despite pending court cases.

He specifically accused the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Accountant-General of the Federation, Babatunde Ogunjimi; and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), of abusing their offices by facilitating the release.

“Today, we have it on good authority that these three principal officers of the Federal Government have released the Osun State Local Government Councils’ allocations for the month of March 2025 to August 2025 to the illegal bank accounts opened by court-sacked APC chairmen and councillors,” Ogungbangbe said.

“We find this development very scary and alarming.

Paying Local Government allocations into privately opened and illegal bank accounts of politicians is unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented in the history of public administration in Nigeria.”

Ogungbangbe recalled that a Federal High Court had on May 15, 2025, ordered parties to maintain the status quo, an order he said was acknowledged by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which initially withheld payment.

“The Attorney-General cannot assume the role of the Supreme Court by setting aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the sacking of the APC politicians by the Federal High Court. The Attorney-General is not above the law,” he declared.

He also accused the APC of trying to destabilise the state.

“Their ultimate goal is to cause anarchy and use it to call on the President to declare a State of Emergency in the state so that they could loot our resources,” he alleged, adding that council workers would not return to duty posts until the issue was resolved.

But the Osun APC dismissed the allegations, describing them as lies designed to favour the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, the APC said: “It is not true that the said federal allocations are paid into the account of any of our local government council chairmen or any of the APC members or chieftain but into the local government councils’ accounts.”

Olabisi further argued that NULGE had no authority to interpret court rulings.

“We want to, as a party which believes in the rule of law, make it abundantly clear that it is not the duty of the NULGE to interpret any court judgment. The Court of Appeal judgement of the 10th of February, 2025, which reinstated the APC local government council chairmen and their councillors, is still in force as there is no record anywhere that it was appealed against.”

He accused the NULGE leadership of pursuing selfish interests and acting as an appendage of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

“The NULGE needs not weave up a series of lies in respect of the payment of the federal allocations… The sing-song of the NULGE before now was that some agencies of the Federal Government were withholding the accumulated federal allocations. Now that the logjam has been laid to rest, what would be their next excuse?” he asked.

The party also urged security agencies to remain on alert.

“We plead with the NULGE to shun brigandage, as Osun, being a subset of the country, is being governed by the rule of law,” the statement read.

Reacting to the revelation and the admission by the APC, Osun PDP called on the APC to disclose the accounts into which the allocations were paid and the signatories of the accounts.

In a statement on Sunday by its Chairman,  Sunday Bisi, the PDP described the release of funds to the APC as a crime against the people of Osun State.

The PDP said rather than attacking NULGE, the APC should “come clean before the people of Osun State by publicly disclosing the exact bank accounts into which the local government allocations were paid and the signatories to those accounts. The APC should also disclose the amount in each of the accounts.”

The PDP said, “We demand these details because all the statutory officers of all the 30 local governments who should be aware of the payment are not aware of it. These officers manage all the accounts of the local governments. They have not seen a dime in any of their local government accounts. Also, none of the state accountant general, the auditor-general for local governments and the ministry of local governments is aware of the payments or where they were paid into.

“The Osun PDP wishes to remind the APC that hurling insults at labour unions cannot change the reality that the people of Osun are demanding answers. The questions are simple: into which accounts were the allocations paid, and who are the signatories?”

The PDP said the APC must urgently provide answers, “or we will conclude that the APC and its leaders have staged the greatest heist in the history of Nigeria by diverting over six months of allocations of all local governments in Osun State.”

“The PDP assures the people of Osun State that under Governor Ademola Adeleke, transparency and accountability will continue to be the guiding principles in the management of public funds. No amount of intimidation or blackmail by the APC will derail this resolve,” Bisi added.

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Adamawa ADC gives Atiku ultimatum to pick membership card

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The African Democratic Congress has issued an ultimatum to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and other prominent figures in the party to register at their respective wards before the end of the year or risk losing recognition as members.

Speaking exclusively to The PUNCH in Yola, the Adamawa State Chairman of the ADC, Shehu Yohanna, said the party had unveiled its membership register, stressing that only those with valid membership cards would be acknowledged.

“Atiku Abubakar should go to his ward in Jada Local Government and register, Babachir should go to his ward in Hong Local Government and register. That is the only way they can be treated as legitimate members of the party,” Yohanna said.

“You cannot be taking decisions for a party you are not constitutionally a member of. All of you should register for the greatness of our party.

“It is illegal for someone to hold a leadership position in the party at the national level without being a registered member. That makes a caricature of the party,” he declared.

Last Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, reaffirmed the caucus’ resolution that all coalition members resign from their current parties and register fully with the ADC—a directive dismissed as inconsequential by both the APC and PDP.

Atiku’s much-publicised membership registration, initially scheduled for August in his hometown of Jada, was suspended indefinitely last month without explanation.

The PUNCH gathered that the former Vice President is weighing his chances of clinching the ADC’s presidential ticket, particularly in light of the growing influence of Peter Obi’s political movement within the party.

Yohanna dismissed the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party as incapable of defeating the ADC in the 2027 general elections.

He added that the ADC boasts politically influential figures and is prepared to wrest power from the APC administration.

“The unfriendly policies of the present government have paved the way for our party to take over and reposition the country for authentic democracy,” he said.

On the reported crisis in the party’s Adamawa chapter, Yohanna maintained that he remained the legitimate chairman.

“My tenure expires in 2026 based on the constitution of the party, so nobody can remove me from office. The ADC is not the estate of anyone; it is a political party registered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo,” he said.

He further claimed that the credentials of ADC governorship aspirants are among the best in Adamawa and indeed across Nigeria.

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