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Jonathan Formally Chooses PDP for 2027 Presidential Run as Multiple Groups Battle to Buy His ₦100 Million Nomination Form
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has formally settled on the PDP as the vehicle for his 2027 presidential comeback.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has formally ended months of speculation by choosing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the platform for his much‑anticipated 2027 presidential run, a top official in Jonathan's inner circle confirmed to Unuevbo TV on Monday. The decision, described as the fruit of "extensive deliberation and nationwide consultation," has triggered a frantic scramble among multiple support groups racing to raise the ₦100 million required to purchase his nomination and expression of interest forms — a financial contest that has exposed both the grassroots enthusiasm and the high‑stakes money politics underpinning Nigeria's return to the polls.
The PDP, still riven by factional infighting between the Wike‑Damagum camp and the Makinde‑Turaki faction, has nevertheless welcomed Jonathan's choice. The Turaki‑led camp, which controls the party's digital infrastructure, confirmed on Monday that Jonathan had completed his online registration and was now "fully in the race." But his formal entry, just hours before the Tuesday, May 12 deadline for submission of forms, has set off a chain reaction that extends from Abuja to the diaspora.
A Battle of Groups for the Golden Ticket
At least three major support groups are now locked in a contest to be the one that presents the ₦100 million cheque to the former president. The Goodluckan Movement, a well‑funded organisation drawing heavily from Nigerians in the diaspora, was the first to publicly announce it had already raised ₦45 million and would complete the balance by Tuesday morning. The Coalition for Jonathan, a network of former ministers, legislators, and business allies from the Jonathan era, has also launched a high‑intensity fundraising drive, with one member telling Unuevbo TV that "the money is ready, we are only waiting for the instructions on where to pay."
Adding further momentum, several northern‑based groups — including the Arewa Youth for Jonathan and the Middle Belt Progressives — have joined the fundraising efforts, arguing that Jonathan's southern origin and his reputation as a moderate make him the best bridge candidate for a nation still nursing deep ethnic and religious divisions. In Abuja on Monday, a rally organised by the National Youth Alliance for Goodluck Jonathan saw hundreds march to the PDP headquarters, carrying banners and chanting "GEJ 2027: The Unifier Nigeria Needs." One organiser, speaking to the press, said the groups were "competing in love" and that the former president had not endorsed any single faction.
Mixed Reactions from Political and Cultural Blocs
Jonathan's decision has drawn a spectrum of reactions. The pan‑Yoruba socio‑cultural organisation, Afenifere, welcomed the move with cautious optimism, describing Jonathan as "a detribalised Nigerian who understands the complexities of our union." The Middle Belt Forum similarly expressed support, with its president noting that Jonathan's previous presidency was marked by "relative peace and economic growth." The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), while refraining from endorsing any candidate, said Jonathan's track record of religious tolerance was "a quality the nation desperately needs."
However, critics within the PDP have muttered about the spectacle of a former president's supporters begging publicly for funds, with one party elder privately describing it as "undignified." Others have questioned whether Jonathan, who has not held elected office since 2015, can match the energy and resources of the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose screening was waived by the APC in a show of early consolidation. For now, Jonathan's camp remains focused on the immediate task: securing the nomination form before Tuesday's deadline. "Once the form is in, the real campaign begins," a source close to the former president said. "The people have asked him to run. He has chosen his platform. The rest is now a matter of time."
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for more on the 2027 presidential race, the PDP nomination contest, and the unfolding Goodluck Jonathan comeback story.
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