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Jonathan Agrees to Run for 2027 Presidency – Close Ally Confirms

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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has agreed to contest the 2027 presidential election, a close political associate has confirmed.

The revelation was disclosed by a senior member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) familiar with ongoing consultations involving the former leader, Vanguard reports.

According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Dr. Jonathan has formally accepted calls by influential party stakeholders and national elders urging him to re-enter the race. “The decision has been made. He’s accepted to run. He wants to offer leadership once again to address the poverty, insecurity, and economic hardship currently ravaging the country,” the newspaper quoted the source.

Jonathan, who served as President between 2010 and 2015, is said to have agreed to a single-term presidency if elected. Political observers note that this one-term commitment is being used to persuade northern leaders, many of whom view it as a smooth path for power to rotate back to the North in 2031 without resistance from the South.

“He can only run for one term due to constitutional limits, and that’s why northern politicians are backing the idea. They see it as a transitional move,” the ally explained.

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The former president has reportedly commenced consultations both within and outside the PDP. It is understood that last weekend, he met with former military president General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) in Minna, Niger State, where he reportedly briefed the elder statesman on his decision.

In the South-South, Jonathan is also said to be meeting key political stakeholders, including private engagements in Port Harcourt.

Though details of these meetings remain undisclosed, insiders insist that securing support from the region will not pose a challenge.

The PDP leadership is believed to be fully behind the move. Reports suggest that several party chieftains recently visited Jonathan in The Gambia to further persuade him. Speaking to BBC Hausa, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, confirmed that the party is in active discussions with Jonathan.

“Many Nigerians have now come to recognise the value of his past leadership. People are asking for his return, and we, as a party, are listening,” Abdullahi said.

He added that Jonathan has remained a loyal PDP member and that the party sees his potential return as a credible strategy to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Jonathan’s anticipated return, however, is reigniting constitutional debates over his eligibility. Following a 2018 constitutional amendment, Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), a person who has been sworn in twice as president is barred from seeking the office again.

Legal experts remain divided on the matter.

Some argue the amendment disqualifies him, as he completed President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s term in 2010 before winning a full term in 2011. Others maintain that the law, signed in 2018, cannot be applied retroactively to Jonathan.

However, it should be noted that a 2022 ruling by a Federal High Court in Yenagoa favoured the former president, stating that the constitutional amendment could not invalidate his right to contest.

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APC Kano appoints Bichi, Baffa Babba Dan Agundi to lead E-Registration drive across 44 LGAs

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The APC in Kano State has appointed Baffa Babba Dan Agundi and Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi as the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the E-Registration Membership Committee.

Inaugurating the 14-member committee headed by Engineer Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, the Kano State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, said other members of the committee include Abdul Adamu Fagge and Musa Ali Kachako.

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The others are Shafi’u Abdullahi Darma, Ahmad Aruwa, Sanusi Sa’idu Kiru Majidadi, Khalid Ishaq Diso, Auwalu Ubale Minjibir, Fa’iz Alfindiki, Binta Rabi’u Spikin, Umar Muhd ​​Rabiu, Muhd ​​Tudun Wada Tweeter and Aminu Umar Dawakin Kudu as the Secretary.

Alhaji Abbas explained how the committee would function and urged the members of the committee to work hard to ensure the success of the project. He said the project would cover all the wards in the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.

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Turaki-Led PDP Leadership Visits Namadi Sambo in Push to Rebuild Party

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki, undertook a consultative visit to former Vice President Namadi Sambo at his Abuja residence on Tuesday. The move is part of broader efforts to reposition the party.

Following a closed-door meeting, Turaki informed journalists that the visit served to introduce the newly elected NWC members to Sambo and to brief him on the party’s current prospects and challenges in the wake of its recent National Convention in Ibadan.

He described the engagement as a critical step in restoring the PDP to its former stature as Africa’s largest political party and returning it to its “winning days.”

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Turaki noted that the former Vice President offered substantial advice and guidance on rebuilding the party into a formidable platform. He highlighted Sambo’s continued commitment as a particularly significant outcome of the meeting.

“The most important assurance from His Excellency is that he is, and will remain, a dedicated member of the PDP,” Turaki stated. “He has promised to become more active in party affairs and has assured us of his availability whenever his attention is required.”

“We are encouraged that the leaders instrumental in the PDP’s past successes are firmly behind us,” he added.

Expressing confidence in the party’s revival, Turaki said that with the support of its founding figures, the PDP is poised to succeed in forthcoming elections, including the FCT Area Council polls and the off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

When questioned about the possibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan contesting on the party’s ticket, Turaki reaffirmed the party’s decision to zone its presidential candidacy to Southern Nigeria.

He clarified that while the specific candidate is yet to be determined, the selection process will be “open, transparent, fair, and equitable.”

“Should anyone express interest in contesting, we assure Nigerians that they will be the ultimate deciders of who becomes the candidate,” Turaki said.

 

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INEC Lifts Campaign Ban for Ekiti Governorship Election, Urges Peaceful Conduct

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the official commencement of the campaign period for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.

The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, declared that the ban on public campaigns will be lifted on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. The campaign window will remain open until midnight on June 18, 2026.

Dr. Omoseyindemi made the announcement on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti, attended by INEC officials and leaders of participating political parties. He called on all parties to engage in decorous and peaceful campaigns in the build-up to the election.

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“With the publication of the final list of candidates, the campaign period now enters a critical phase that demands maturity, restraint, and strict adherence to the law by all political actors,” he stated.

The REC emphasized that peaceful campaigns are fundamental to ensuring a credible election and the overall stability of the state. He reiterated INEC’s commitment to conducting a transparent and peaceful poll and urged parties to comply fully with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Campaigns.

This development follows the commission’s publication, barely 24 hours earlier, of the final list of governorship candidates and their running mates for the 12 parties cleared to contest the election.

It will be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party, whose candidates were omitted from the list, have previously indicated they are seeking legal redress to participate in the election.

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