Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are holding high-level consultations to persuade former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election on the party’s platform.
Sources close to Jonathan confirmed that some party chieftains recently met with him to mount pressure, but the former president reportedly told them he was still consulting and would communicate his decision in due course.
The development came just as PDP presidential aspirant, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, rejected the party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, insisting that the final say rests with the party’s national convention and not the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Olawepo-Hashim described the zoning arrangement as “undemocratic and unconstitutional,” arguing that it would deprive the PDP of its best options in a crucial election year.
At its 102nd NEC meeting held in Abuja on Monday, the PDP had formally zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, a move that has triggered mixed reactions, particularly from some Northern groups that openly opposed the decision.
In a boost to his campaign, members of the PDP in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have endorsed Olawepo-Hashim’s candidacy, declaring their rejection of the zoning formula.
At a meeting attended by stakeholders including party chairmen, flag bearers, councillorship candidates, and area council secretaries, the members pledged loyalty to his ambition and formally adopted him as the political leader of the FCT.
Meanwhile, the PDP leadership has dismissed speculations that the zoning decision was designed to promote the influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike. Party officials stressed that the move was taken in the interest of stability and to strengthen internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 polls.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, also defended the decision, describing it as a “sacrifice for unity.” According to him, zoning the presidential ticket to the South was necessary to foster inclusiveness and preserve the party’s national outlook.
As consultations continue, the question of Jonathan’s possible return and the dispute over zoning are expected to shape the PDP’s internal dynamics in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.