By Achile Danjuma
Former President Goodluck Jonathan will seek to return to the presidency in the 2027 election on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a top official in his campaign team confirmed to Vanguard. The decision, we gathered, followed extensive deliberation over his most viable route back to power amid heightened poverty and hardship in the country.
The confirmation has opened a floodgate of competition among a slew of support groups scrambling to purchase the party’s presidential nomination form, priced at N100 million. According to Vanguard’s source, the groups are aware that the deadline for submission ends on Tuesday, and they are racing to beat it. The Goodluckan Movement, comprised mainly of Nigerians in the diaspora, is laying claim to the right to purchase the form, arguing it is more representative of Nigerians worldwide compared to the northern groups also in the fray.
A list of groups in the race include the Coalition for Jonathan, which has twice mobilized thousands of youths to rally at his office urging him to run; the Goodies Movement, an online support group; and The New Nigeria (TNN)—a mass movement with millions of members, mostly in the north. Others are the Almajiri Network, Arewa for Good Governance, Northern Youth Alliance for Good Governance, Northern Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan, Arewa for Better Government, and the North Youth Progressive Movement. According to the source, each of the groups has pledged to raise the ₦100m fee to purchase the form for the former president.
Although the former president previously told the crowd that beckoned on him that he would consult widely before a final decision, Vanguard learned he has since resolved to contest, believing he can revamp the economy and reduce hardship if returned to power.
The report also noted that the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP confirmed Jonathan earlier fulfilled his online party registration and is eligible to fly the party’s flag, dismissing swirling rumours about his political party membership. Meanwhile, in a sign of his seriousness, Jonathan has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge a suit seeking to bar him from contesting on the grounds he has already served two terms. The court last week adjourned the case until Monday for hearing.
This development echoes a 2022 situation when a northern Almajiri group purchased a ₦100m APC presidential form for Jonathan, which he later disowned; however, sources claim this time he is determined to go all the way as key stakeholders believe he remains the opposition’s best bet to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.