Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday emerged as the presidential candidate of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2027 general election.
Jonathan’s endorsement came during a Special National Convention convened in Abuja by a faction of the PDP led by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, SAN, despite opposition from the party’s mainstream leadership and heavy security presence around the original venue of the gathering.
The development came as former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi formally accepted his nomination as the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Coalition, while Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde clinched the presidential ticket of the Allied People’s Movement and unveiled what he described as a “Reset Nigeria Agenda.”
Sunday PUNCH gathered that suspected thugs invaded the original venue for the ratification of Jonathan’s candidature, the A-Class Event Centre, and attacked some participants.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the attack occurred shortly after the factional leaders relocated from the venue to engage with police personnel deployed to the area.
Turaki and other members of the faction moved their activities to their operational office in Area 10, Garki, after security personnel barricaded the A-Class Event Centre.
Factional PDP crowns ex-president in absentia
Despite the disruption, the PDP leaders concluded the convention with the issuance of a Certificate of Return to Jonathan in absentia.
The certificate was received on behalf of the former President by a former member of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi.
After the brief ceremony, the party leaders returned to the A-Class Event Centre for what they described as an engagement with police officers stationed at the venue.
However, shortly after Turaki concluded his remarks at the scene, hoodlums who arrived in two Coaster buses and armed with sticks launched a sudden attack on party officials who were already returning to their vehicles.
The attack forced party leaders, journalists and other stakeholders to flee for safety.
During the chaos, a journalist’s mobile phone was reportedly snatched.
Calm was later restored following the intervention of the police and other security personnel at the venue.
The endorsement comes amid a lingering leadership crisis within the PDP, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s structure and authority ahead of the 2027 election.
Addressing supporters at the barricaded venue, Turaki accused unnamed political interests of attempting to undermine democracy through intimidation and abuse of power.
He urged party members to remain peaceful despite what he described as deliberate efforts to frustrate the convention.
“No matter how highly opinionated they may be about themselves, or no matter how they think they can use their positions to thwart democracy, we want to tell them that Nigeria is bigger than anybody and any group of persons.
“We will not fight. The time of fighting will come when we meet at the polls. We will meet you there; we’ll fight you there, we’ll defeat you there, and then we will pin you down on the ground,” Turaki said.
The former minister defended the legitimacy of the faction, insisting that its actions were consistent with court judgments and the provisions of the PDP constitution.
According to him, the PDP Board of Trustees and members of the National Executive Committee had intervened to address leadership vacancies created by judicial pronouncements, leading to the formation of an Interim National Working Committee.
“What we are doing today is in line with the judgment of the Supreme Court, which affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division,” he said.
Also speaking, elder statesman and PDP founding member, Prof Jerry Gana, lamented what he described as the shrinking democratic space in the country.
Recalling Nigeria’s transition from military rule in 1998, Gana noted that one of the major demands of pro-democracy activists was the establishment of a truly independent electoral commission.
He said, “It is with great pain that I see this situation, that so many years after democracy, we are still being reduced to this.
“We insisted that we must have an Independent National Electoral Commission. Unfortunately, after so many years of development, is INEC now independent?”
Gana also criticised the heavy security deployment around the venue, describing it as a threat to democratic freedoms.
“We are supposed to be having a special convention in a very well-organised place. Now the police have taken over the whole place. Are we back to military rule?
“This is a disgrace. Let the whole world know that Nigerian democracy is challenged because people cannot meet freely,” he added.
The convention later ratified Jonathan’s candidature through a voice vote following a motion moved by the Chairman of the PDP State Chairmen Forum and Edo State PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, and seconded by former Minister of Aviation, Mohammed Dagash.
However, the Nyesom Wike-backed PDP leadership had earlier distanced itself from the convention.
The faction, through its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, maintained that former Cross River State senator, Sandy Onor, remained the recognised presidential candidate of the party.
Obi unveils reform agenda
Meanwhile, Obi used his acceptance speech at the NDC convention to unveil what he described as a roadmap for national recovery.
“It is with deep humility that I accept the role of presidential candidate of our party. I express my profound gratitude to the leaders of our party, His Excellency Seriake Dickson, the National Chairman, National Secretary, members of the National Working Committee, our relentless supporters and the Nigerian people who have steadfastly kept the spirit of hope alive,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria was at a critical crossroads characterised by insecurity, economic hardship and declining public confidence in governance.
“Businesses are struggling, communities are suffering, and an alarming number of citizens have lost faith in the very concept of governance.
“Yet, I stand before you filled with optimism and strong faith in the resilience of our people, for I firmly believe that a new Nigeria is possible,” he stated.
Obi cautioned against ethnic, religious and regional divisions, arguing that the country’s diversity should be a source of strength rather than conflict.
On security, he said Nigeria’s position in global terrorism rankings had deteriorated significantly in recent years.
“In terms of security, the situation in Nigeria has considerably worsened. The global terrorism impact assessments ranked Nigeria as the eighth most affected nation in 2022, sixth in 2024, and fourth in 2026,” he said.
Obi pledged to deploy intelligence-driven and technology-based security reforms while addressing the root causes of violence, including poverty and unemployment.
“We must address insecurity with resolve and urgency, for no nation can thrive while its citizens live in trepidation. The primary responsibility of government is to ensure the protection of lives and property,” he added.
The NDC candidate also promised major reforms in the healthcare sector, lamenting the country’s poor health indicators and low health insurance coverage.
“Nigeria suffers from one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world. Furthermore, health insurance coverage in Nigeria hovers at a mere 10 per cent.
“This situation is regrettable. I pledge that within four years, our health insurance coverage will more than double to over 20 per cent,” he said.
On power, Obi described Nigeria’s electricity deficit as a major obstacle to economic development.
“Nigeria today is the nation with the highest number of citizens lacking access to electricity globally. We currently generate and distribute a mere 4,000 megawatts of electricity for a population exceeding 200 million,” he said.
Obi pledged to increase electricity generation and distribution by at least 10,000 megawatts within four years if elected president.
Makinde promises national reset
Speaking after emerging as the APM presidential candidate, Makinde unveiled a reform agenda centred on economic restructuring, petroleum sector overhaul and a decentralised security architecture.
He said his ambition was driven by the need to “reset Nigeria” and restore public confidence in governance amid worsening economic hardship and insecurity, adding that the country’s current realities demanded a complete shift from old governance models.
“I stand before you today with deep humility and a profound sense of responsibility as I accept the nomination to serve as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I believe the answer is simple… Nigeria must reset. We cannot continue recycling the same leadership approaches while expecting different results. A new direction must emerge; one built on competence, courage, accountability and compassion for the people,” Makinde said.
He promised that his administration, if elected, would prioritise reforms that directly improve citizens’ welfare, insisting that governance must be practical rather than rhetorical.
The APM presidential candidate also said the country must begin to derive greater benefits from its status as an oil-producing nation, promising reforms in pricing, institutional efficiency and accountability within the petroleum sector.
He pledged to introduce what he described as “fair, transparent and right pricing templates” for petroleum products.
“Nigerians must benefit from being an oil-producing country just like other oil-producing countries in the world.
“We will pursue fair, transparent and right pricing templates for petroleum products that reflect the realities of the cost of production. Nigerians must be protected from arbitrary pricing,” Makinde stated.
He also proposed reforms to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, describing it as central to economic recovery.
Makinde further called for the restructuring of the country’s refineries, arguing that continued public spending on underperforming assets was unsustainable.
“I dare dream that the NNPC will be reformed and become lean, efficient and commercially driven through proper joint venture incorporation and institutional reforms.
“I dare dream that we will reset Nigeria and take the difficult but necessary decision to restructure the ownership of our refineries so Nigeria can finally stop bleeding resources into systems that no longer serve the people effectively,” he added.
On national security, Makinde lamented the burden placed on state governors who, according to him, are called Chief Security Officers without constitutional control over security agencies.
The governor promised that, if elected president, he would pursue the decentralisation of security to enable a faster and more effective response to threats.
“As Governor of Oyo State, I carry the painful burden of being called Chief Security Officer, yet lacking constitutional control over the security agencies needed to fully confront these threats,” he said.
“As President of Nigeria, I will work to reform our national security architecture so that states are no longer left helpless in moments of crisis. The decentralisation that we need for more effective security will be prioritised,” he said.
Makinde also expressed concern over ongoing kidnappings and insecurity across the country, describing them as a national emergency requiring urgent reforms.
The governor said his administration would prioritise food security, transport reforms and agricultural productivity, stressing the need for data-driven planning.
He added that transportation costs had become a major burden for Nigerians and would require practical interventions based on tested models.
Makinde said his campaign would be issue-based and focused on solutions rather than political rhetoric.
“We will start with collating accurate data on our capacity in the agriculture sector so that we can address the gaps in production, processing, agrologistics and storage.
“I do not stand here promising miracles. I stand here promising leadership that listens, leadership that acts, and leadership that understands that governance must improve the lives of ordinary people,” he said.
Earlier, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, represented by his deputy, Mohammed Jatau, led a delegation from the North-East to endorse Makinde’s candidacy, describing him as the leader Nigeria needed at a critical moment in its history.
He said, “We are here on behalf of the government and people of Bauchi State to support, endorse and celebrate the emergence of our dear distinguished brother, Oluwaseyi Makinde, as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement.
“Makinde possesses the qualities required to lead Nigeria towards progress and national renewal. We firmly believe that he is the leader Nigeria needs at this critical moment in our nation’s history. We are confident that he possesses the vision, competence, experience and commitment required to move Nigeria forward and deliver the leadership our people deserve.
“I wish to assure our brothers and sisters gathered here today that Bauchi State, the North-East region, and indeed many patriotic Nigerians across the northern part of the country stand firmly behind the APM movement.”
Mohammed said both Oyo and Bauchi states shared common aspirations for a better Nigeria.
“The people of Oyo and the people of Bauchi share a strong bond of friendship, cooperation and mutual respect. Our destinies are interconnected, and our aspirations for a better Nigeria are the same,” he added.
In his address, the APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, who presented the party’s flag and Certificate of Return to Makinde, described his emergence as the beginning of a broader political movement tagged the “Reset Nigeria Agenda.”
He said the decision followed consultations with state chairmen and stakeholders who unanimously supported Makinde’s nomination.
“The event marks the birth of the Reset Nigeria Movement,” Dantalle said, adding that Makinde’s record in Oyo State made him the party’s consensus candidate.
“We are confident that his leadership will move Nigeria forward,” he said.