2027: The real reason Jonathan hasn’t accepted PDP ticket—Umar Sani

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Sani, has disclosed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is deliberately taking his time before publicly accepting or rejecting the party’s nomination ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Sani made the revelation on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television, where he dismissed suggestions that Jonathan was reluctant to contest for the presidency, insisting that the former Nigerian leader remains interested in returning to office but is carefully navigating legal and political considerations before making any formal declaration.

According to him, Jonathan’s hesitation is not a sign of indecision but rather a strategic move influenced by ongoing legal proceedings relating to his eligibility to contest the presidency.

The PDP stalwart explained that although a court had reportedly dismissed a case challenging Jonathan’s eligibility, the matter remains unresolved as the judgment has been appealed by those pursuing the suit.

“There is an eligibility case against Jonathan. Even though the court has dismissed the case, the people are adamant and they have gone ahead to appeal the judgment,” Sani said.

He noted that the former president is keenly monitoring developments surrounding the litigation and would likely wait for greater legal clarity before publicly stating his position on the 2027 presidential race.

“Now, one thing must give way for another to thrive. Jonathan wants to become president. There are encumbrances that need to be cleared before he will express himself,” he added.

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Sani maintained that within the PDP, there is a strong belief that Jonathan remains the party’s preferred candidate for the next presidential election despite his silence on the matter.

According to him, party stakeholders have continued to project the former president as a viable option for the 2027 contest, even though he has neither formally accepted nor declined the nomination being proposed by some members.

“So I won’t think there is any reluctance on his part. He is very determined to become president of Nigeria, but he is being very careful about the court case,” Sani stated.

“As far as we are concerned, Jonathan is our candidate. We have put out his name, though he has not come out publicly to either accept or reject. I think he’s been very strategic. He’s taking his time.”

Jonathan’s political future has remained a subject of intense speculation in recent months, with supporters across different political platforms urging him to return to active politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former president, who served as Nigeria’s leader from 2010 to 2015, has largely refrained from commenting on recurring calls for him to contest again, choosing instead to focus on diplomatic engagements, democracy advocacy and peace-building initiatives across Africa.

His silence has fueled debates within political circles about whether he could emerge as a consensus candidate capable of attracting support across regional and partisan divides.

At the centre of discussions surrounding Jonathan’s potential candidacy is the constitutional debate over whether a former president who completed the tenure of a predecessor and subsequently won an election can seek another term.

Although previous court rulings have addressed aspects of the issue, differing legal interpretations have continued to generate controversy, making the matter one of the most closely watched aspects of the unfolding 2027 political landscape.

For now, PDP leaders appear content to wait for Jonathan’s decision, even as political calculations ahead of the next general election gather momentum.