The race to nominate the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate for the 2027 elections has exposed deep fissures within the party, with key factions locked in ideological and strategic conflict. At the center of the controversy is Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, who has publicly decried efforts to bring former President Goodluck Jonathan or Peter Obi back as standard-bearers—a stance that has drawn sharp criticism from both “Obidients” (Obi’s loyal supporters) and the party hierarchy.
Wike, speaking in an Abuja television interview, warned that drafting Obi would “spell doom” for the PDP, describing the party’s outreach to the former Anambra governor as a betrayal of the party’s integrity. He also cautioned Jonathan against being manipulated by opportunists, saying those who “played him in 2015” were attempting to sow chaos once more. Emphatically, Wike stated he would not be a candidate in 2027, asserting his loyalty and personal integrity are beyond question.
“We are against it,” reacted the Obidients forcefully. This camp argues that Obi, with his widespread grassroots appeal and one-term vow, offers the most compelling opportunity to unify the country and energize the electorate. For them, opposition to his candidacy is not just politically short-sighted—it undermines a potential momentum shift.
However, other powerful voices within the PDP are rallying behind Jonathan, bolstering his potential return with promises of an automatic ticket. They argue that the constitutional one-term limit makes him a strategically safe choice—a transitionary figure who satisfies Southern aspirations while allowing room for power rotation in 2031.
Meanwhile, the party’s official line, as articulated by National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, emphasizes homegrown alternatives. He affirmed that the PDP has “governors fit to fly its presidential flag” and dismissed suggestions that they are courting Jonathan or Obi. Loyalty to the party remains a non-negotiable condition for any returnee.
Further complicating the conversation, Minister Festus Keyamo (of the ruling APC) weighed in from the outside, warning that the PDP’s interest in Jonathan or Obi carries legal and reputational risks—particularly citing a potential constitutional hurdle for Jonathan under Section 137(3), which could disqualify him from running. The PDP responded swiftly, rejecting Keyamo’s intervention as meddlesome and self-serving.
As the PDP solidifies preparations for its November 2025 national convention, the outcome of these internal battles will shape its direction. Will the party embrace nostalgia and continuity with Jonathan, the fresh momentum of Obi, or lean into the capabilities of its sitting governors? And can it reconcile these visions without hemorrhaging unity?
