The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has clarified its position regarding claims by Jerry Gana, former minister of information, about former President Goodluck Jonathan’s potential return to the presidency.
Gatekeepers News reports that Gana had declared that Jonathan would contest the 2027 presidential election under the PDP and defeat President Bola Tinubu.
He said, “I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the presidential election in 2027 as PDP candidate, and you will vote for him to return as president again:”
Reacting on Monday in Abuja, PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba stressed that Gana’s comments were personal and did not reflect the position of the party.
He said, “ Professor Jerry Gana doesn’t speak for the PDP. I don’t also speak for professor Jerry Gana. People can express their opinion. But I will emphasise this.”
Ologunagba explained that Jonathan remains a member of the PDP and has never declared otherwise, but emphasised that the party has other capable leaders.
He added, “This party has eminently qualified Nigerians, particularly at the Governors’ level, who have done exceedingly well that Nigeria can tap on that and say: step up the place and do the right thing because their performances in their states show their capacity, which is actually the DNA of the PDP.”
“So, I don’t speak for President Jonathan. I don’t speak for Jerry Gana, with all due respect. But our party is focused on our convention, and when we get to that bridge, we’ll cross it. Those should be semantics.”
The controversy comes after Jonathan attended a stakeholders’ meeting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition in Abuja last week.
The presidency has also dismissed Gana’s remarks, warning that Jonathan could be misled by some PDP members.
It said, “Politicians of Jerry Gana’s ilk merely want to lure him into the race to satisfy their personal, political, religious, and ethnic interests.”
