2027: Jonathan’s camp, PDP topshots wooing Peter Obi

…Says ex-President lone Southerner that tin face Tinubu

By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor

LAGOS — To signifier a formidable absorption against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and bushed President Bola Tinubu successful the 2027 election, supporters of erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan person started wooing cardinal aspirants to backmost his ambition.

With the APC hierarchy endorsing President Tinubu for re-election; and main absorption Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, zoning its summons to the South, the 2027 statesmanlike contention is panning retired arsenic a Southern affair.

For weeks now, a big of PDP apical shots, particularly from the North, person been pressuring Jonathan to articulation the race.

Before then, immoderate PDP bigwigs had besides been wooing erstwhile Anambra State politician and 2023 statesmanlike modular bearer of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, to instrumentality to the PDP.

Obi near the PDP successful 2022 to articulation LP and clinched the party’s statesmanlike ticket. Obi is among a big of absorption politicians supporting a expansive conjugation to quadrate against the APC successful 2027.

He is besides among those backing the African Democratic Congress, ADC, conjugation that has the likes of erstwhile Rivers State politician and contiguous past Transport Minister, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; erstwhile Senate President, David Mark; erstwhile Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola; and erstwhile Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

Asked astatine assorted times if helium would instrumentality to the PDP oregon articulation the ADC, Obi who has been strident successful his criticisms of the Tinubu administration, pointedly said helium is for immoderate determination that volition prevention the state from the APC.

Among Southern politicians nursing the ambition of confronting Tinubu are Mr Peter Obi; Mr Rotimi Amaechi; and Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde.

Jonathan’s exploratory visits

Sources told Vanguard, yesterday, that arsenic portion of his extended consultations, erstwhile President Jonathan’s campy has started reaching retired to cardinal aspirants and has met Obi “to measurement down for Jonathan.”

There were speculations past nighttime that Jonathan had met Obi successful idiosyncratic to sermon the contented but sources adjacent to the erstwhile Anambra State politician said nary specified gathering had been held.

“It is existent that Jonathan’s radical privation Obi to measurement down for him but Jonathan himself is yet to conscionable Obi. I tin guarantee you that Obi is committed to his origin of rescuing Nigeria,” the root said.

Best Southern aspirant

Jonathan’s backers said helium remains the champion Southern person that tin halt Tinubu astatine the polls because, if elected, helium cannot bash much than 4 years, which volition pave the mode for the prevailing North-South powerfulness rotation rule to beryllium sustained.

Tinubu is besides eligible for 4 years, if re-elected.

In presumption of the powerfulness rotation principle, Mr Obi said precocious that helium would service for a word of 4 years and not question a 2nd term, if elected.

The declaration elicited mixed views successful the polity, with immoderate saying galore politicians made akin promises successful the past but did not support them, hence the request to spell for a campaigner that cannot bash much than 4 years.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who ran connected the level of the PDP successful 2023 but precocious defected to ADC, has besides promised to bash 1 term, if elected.

Jonathan’s eligibility controversy

However, those opposed to Jonathan said the PDP risks losing successful tribunal if it fields the erstwhile president due to the fact that of eligibility.

Following an amendment by the National Assembly, which was signed into instrumentality by precocious erstwhile President Muhmmadu Buhari connected June 7, 2018, Section 137 of the 1999 Constitution stops anyone who had been sworn-in doubly arsenic president to contention the presidency.

Jonathan, who was vice to precocious President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was archetypal sworn-in successful 2010 erstwhile Yar’Adua passed on.

He won his archetypal predetermination successful 2011 and was sworn-in again. He contested for a 2nd word successful 2015 but mislaid to Buhari, the archetypal clip an incumbent president mislaid an predetermination successful Nigeria.

His eligibility to tally has been a taxable of contention since 2022 and lawyers are sharply divided connected the issue.

While immoderate said helium is eligible to contention due to the fact that the instrumentality took effect from June 7, 2018, much than 3 years aft helium near bureau and cannot beryllium applie...