By Bonaventure Phillips Melah

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, confirmed that former president Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 presidential election.

The PDP also issued certificates of return to candidates who emerged as governorship candidates in 21 state

While congratulating the candidates, the party warned them against defecting after securing the party’s mandate, declaring that all nominees whose names would be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general elections would be required to sign undertakings committing them to remain loyal to the party.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Chairman of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), said the party was determined to prevent a recurrence of situations where candidates secured electoral mandates on its platform and later defected to rival parties.

“Nobody, moving forward, nobody will take our mandate to another political party and get away with it. But before we take your names to INEC, you will sign. You will sign an undertaking. What had happened before will not happen again,” Turaki said.

According to him, the party had carried out extensive background checks and security screenings on its governorship candidates to reduce legal and integrity concerns that could threaten its electoral fortunes.

“PDP would not want a situation where for any reason that we win the election and then that victory will be taken out from us at the tribunal,” he added.

Turaki disclosed that while most candidates had successfully scaled the screening process and received their Certificates of Return, a few others were still undergoing verification.

“There are still others, a very small number, that are yet to be cleared. Issues have been raised. They are not very serious issues of concern, but yet they are issues that we consider very significant, and those issues have to be cleared,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the party’s preparedness for the 2027 polls.

“We can beat our chest to say that PDP will contest the election in every constituency where elections will be held in 2027. And it’s not just about contesting, it’s about contesting to win,” Turaki stated.

The National Organising Secretary of the PDP Interim National Working Committee, Hon. Theophilus Dakas Shan, disclosed that former President Goodluck Jonathan had emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.

“We have a presidential candidate who bought the forms, who signed it and we nominated him the other day. And that is the former president, Goodluck Jonathan,” Shan said.

He noted that despite the leadership crisis that followed the Supreme Court judgment nullifying the party’s Ibadan convention, the PDP successfully completed its nomination process nationwide.

According to him, the party has produced 28 governorship candidates in states operating the regular election cycle, 109 senatorial candidates, 360 House of Representatives candidates and 993 House of Assembly candidates.

Speaking on behalf of the PDP State Chairmen Forum, the Ondo State Chairman, Barrister Dupe Aisida, commended the Interim National Working Committee for stabilising the party after months of internal challenges.

“Nobody, when this thing started, nobody believed, back then, that PDP would be able to survive the onslaught of the marauders. But fortunately for us, we are moving on today.

“We are stronger, we are better, and we have all the confidence now. All my colleagues here, you can see us. We are happy, we are resolute, and we are ready,” Aisida said.

Among those presented with Governorship Certificates of Return were Lawal Mohammed Umar (Kaduna), Hassan Oladimeji Ali (Kwara), Zanna Gadama Mustapha (Borno), Ibeabuchi Ihenechukwu (Abia), Effiong Eyamba (Cross River), Sherrig Abdullahi (Yobe), Donatus Nwogbo (Enugu), Eze Alexander (Ebonyi), Etenabene Benedict (Delta), Taofeek Arapaja (Oyo), Caleb Maigbadani (Adamawa), Mohammed Ahmed Yayari (Gombe), Victor Richard (Rivers), Senator Joel Ikenya (Taraba), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Kebbi), Mohammed Ja’afaru (Nasarawa), Oladelipopu Adebisi (Ogun), Mohammed Kabir (Kano), Emmanuel Agbo (Benue), Adetokumbo Pearce (Lagos) and Sunday Garba (Plateau).