The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has publicly dismissed claims that it intends to back former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
In a statement released on Friday, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, labeled the reports as false, misleading, and unauthorized, urging security agencies to probe their origin and prosecute those responsible for what he described as an attempt to incite political tension and harm the party’s reputation.
This denial comes after the Interim National Working Committee, led by Tanimu Turaki, announced plans for a convention in Abuja on Saturday to formally endorse Jonathan as the party’s flagbearer for the upcoming presidential race. However, the Wike-aligned faction has clarified that it already has a candidate: Senator Sandy Onor, who was screened, cleared, and officially presented as its presidential contender earlier last week.
In its response, the faction called on Jonathan to publicly distance himself from what it termed an unauthorized move, to protect both the integrity of the democratic process and his personal reputation. The group emphasized that all primary elections, including presidential primaries, have been completed in line with INEC guidelines and the party’s constitution, and that no convention or process has been approved to alter those outcomes.