2027 Presidency: Jonathan Wins PDP Faction’s Ticket, Obi Unveils Reform Agenda

The battle for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027 gathered momentum on Saturday as former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi emerged as presidential candidates on separate political platforms.

Jonathan was endorsed as the presidential candidate of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party at a controversial special national convention in Abuja, despite opposition from the party’s mainstream leadership and heavy security presence around the venue.

The exercise was thrown into confusion after security operatives barricaded the A-Class Event Centre, forcing organisers led by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), to relocate proceedings to their operational office in Area 10, Garki.

Undeterred, the faction proceeded with the convention and ratified Jonathan’s candidature through a voice vote.

A Certificate of Return was subsequently presented to the former president in absentia and received on his behalf by former lawmaker Fred Agbedi.

The event was later overshadowed by violence when suspected hoodlums reportedly stormed the venue and attacked party members, journalists and supporters, forcing many to flee before security personnel restored order.

Turaki accused unnamed political interests of attempting to frustrate the convention and undermine democratic rights, insisting that the faction’s actions were backed by court judgments and provisions of the PDP constitution.

The endorsement further exposed the deep divisions within the PDP, with the rival leadership loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike distancing itself from the exercise and insisting that former Senator Sandy Onor remained the party’s recognised presidential candidate.

While the PDP grappled with internal turmoil, Peter Obi formally accepted the presidential ticket of the Nigerian Democratic Coalition, presenting a broad reform agenda aimed at tackling insecurity, economic hardship and declining public confidence in government.

Obi said Nigeria was facing one of its most challenging periods, marked by rising insecurity, struggling businesses and worsening living conditions, but maintained that the country could still chart a new course.

“A new Nigeria is possible,” he declared, pledging to rebuild trust in governance and place the country on the path of sustainable growth.

The former Anambra State governor promised intelligence-driven security reforms, stressing that the protection of lives and property would remain the primary responsibility of his administration.

He also pledged to address the root causes of insecurity, including poverty and unemployment, while deploying technology and modern intelligence tools to combat violent crimes.

On the economy, Obi promised measures to revive productivity, stimulate investment and create opportunities for millions of Nigerians struggling under current economic conditions.

He further outlined plans to strengthen the healthcare sector by expanding health insurance coverage and improving access to quality medical services across the country.

The former governor also identified electricity as a critical driver of development, promising to significantly increase power generation and distribution to support businesses and industrial growth.

With Jonathan’s controversial emergence under a factional PDP structure and Obi positioning himself as a reform-minded alternative, the race for the 2027 presidency is gradually taking shape, even as political realignments and legal battles continue to reshape the country’s electoral landscape.

Tinubu’s Trillion-Naira Projects in North Will Deliver Landslide Victory in 2027 — Kwankwaso

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Dr Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso, has said President Bola Tinubu’s massive infrastructure and development projects across Northern Nigeria will secure him overwhelming support and a landslide victory in the 2027 presidential election.

Kwankwaso made the assertion in a statement issued to journalists in Kano on Saturday, where he highlighted what he described as trillions of naira worth of strategic projects currently being executed by the Tinubu administration across key sectors including transportation, power, agriculture, healthcare and ecological intervention.

According to him, the President’s developmental footprint in the North has significantly altered the political landscape and strengthened his acceptance across the region.

He said the administration’s commitment to large-scale infrastructure renewal demonstrates Tinubu’s determination to address longstanding developmental challenges confronting Northern Nigeria.

Among the projects cited was the Kano–Kongolam Road project, a 132-kilometre road dualisation and construction initiative valued at about N334 billion, designed to connect Kano with Jigawa and Katsina states and improve economic activities along the corridor.

Kwankwaso also referenced the ongoing reconstruction of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, one of the most strategic road networks in the country, which is being upgraded using continuous reinforced concrete pavement technology aimed at ensuring durability and enhancing road security.

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He further listed the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, a proposed 1,068-kilometre six-lane economic corridor expected to integrate rail infrastructure and boost commercial connectivity between Northern and Southern Nigeria.

According to him, the project reflects Tinubu’s vision for national integration and economic transformation.

The APC stalwart also praised progress on the Kano Eastern Bypass, a 37.8-kilometre dual carriageway with multiple bridges designed to divert heavy-duty industrial traffic away from Kano metropolis and ease urban congestion.

On rail transportation, Kwankwaso described the Kano–Maradi Rail Line as one of the administration’s flagship regional integration projects.

The 284-kilometre railway project traverses Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states and is expected to facilitate trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic while reducing transportation costs for goods and passengers.

He also highlighted the near-completion of the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, a 614-kilometre strategic energy project expected to boost domestic gas supply, support industrialisation and improve electricity generation across Northern states.

In the area of ecological and agricultural intervention, Kwankwaso said Tinubu approved N47 billion for the Jakara-Gogau-Zungeru urban drainage project in Kano State.

The project is designed to address severe flooding challenges, improve sanitation and modernise sewage systems within Kano metropolis.

He further noted that the Federal Government had released multi-billion naira interventions for the rehabilitation and expansion of 16 dams in Kano State, including the Challawa Gorge Dam, Tiga Dam, and the broader Kano River Irrigation Project, all aimed at strengthening irrigation farming and food security.

On healthcare, he said the administration had sustained upgrades of Federal Teaching Hospitals across the North and revitalised thousands of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) under the Federal Government’s IMPACT health programme.

Kwankwaso argued that the visible impact of these projects has already positioned Tinubu favourably ahead of the 2027 polls.

“President Tinubu should sleep with his two eyes closed because his re-election bid is already a done deal. The North, and Kano in particular, will give him massive votes that will speedily secure his victory come 2027,” he said.

He added that Northern voters would assess the President based on tangible performance rather than political rhetoric.

The remarks come amid increasing political calculations and alignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with major political blocs across the country already positioning for possible alliances and strategic negotiations.

Political observers note that Northern Nigeria remains a decisive electoral bloc due to its large voting population, making infrastructural development and security improvements critical factors in shaping future electoral outcomes.

While opposition parties have continued to criticise aspects of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, APC supporters insist that ongoing federal projects across the North will significantly influence voter sentiment in the next presidential contest.

Tinubu’s Trillion-Naira Projects in North Will Deliver Landslide Victory in 2027 — Kwankwaso

‘I Didn’t Buy ADC Form to Be VP,’ Amaechi Dismisses Speculation

ABUJA, NIGERIA – Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has firmly dismissed claims that he was offered the vice-presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following his loss in the party’s presidential primary, declaring that nobody has ever proposed that role to him because political actors understand his value . Speaking in an exclusive interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo on the “#WithChude” platform at his Abuja residence as he marked his 61st birthday, Amaechi addressed growing political speculation surrounding his future after coming second in the ADC presidential primary . “No one has asked me to be VP,” Amaechi said firmly . He explained that before he released his statement rejecting the outcome of the ADC presidential primary, he and fellow aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen held consultations and both agreed on the approach .

“I went to see the national chairman of ADC. After our discussion, he walked me to the exit door, I shook his hands and I left. We discussed something different from what they wrote about,” Amaechi revealed, referring to Senator David Mark, the ADC National Chairman . “But people said I stormed out after he told me to run for VP. But I am not joking; nobody has ever told me to be vice-president because they know my worth and what will be my reaction,” he added . Amaechi’s denial comes amid swirling rumours that the ADC leadership had attempted to placate him with the vice-presidential slot after Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party’s presidential flagbearer. The former minister’s rejection of the VP speculation is inseparable from his outright rejection of the ADC presidential primary outcome. The primary election, held on Monday, May 25, 2026, saw Atiku Abubakar declared winner with 1,846,370 votes, while Amaechi came second with 504,117 votes and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen secured 177,120 votes . Daily Trust reported slightly different figures: Atiku 1,855,787, Amaechi 509,397, and Hayatu-Deen 180,903.

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However, immediately after the exercise, Amaechi took to his X handle to denounce the process. “Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi wrote . He listed manipulation of results, failure of the process to reflect the values ADC pledged to uphold, the exclusion of about eighty percent of party members from voting, vote buying, rigging, and writing of results as his reasons for rejecting the primaries . “I had initially stated that I will only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word. I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he added . The former Rivers governor argued that a party criticising the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging, and writing of results cannot engage in the same electoral malpractices .

In a strongly worded interview, Amaechi remained defiant, stating: “I stand by what I said about ‘concocted results’,” while clarifying that he remains a member of the ADC . “But I am still a member of ADC,” he added, suggesting that while he disputes the process, he has not yet exited the party . He also used the interview to reflect on his political record, insisting he is different from politicians driven only by personal gain. “People say politicians lie, but I don’t lie. My record speaks for me,” he said .

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who came third in the primary, also rejected the exercise. “I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” he stated . The collation of results was initially suspended on Tuesday night after results from 25 states had been announced before resuming on Wednesday . Adding to the voices of dissent, an ADC chieftain and supporter of Amaechi’s presidential bid, Ibrahim Garba Wala, backed the former minister’s rejection of the primary process, describing the exercise as flawed and lacking credibility . Wala, who monitored the presidential primary in Gombe State, wrote extensively about what he witnessed. “What we witnessed during the primary elections was not a democratic primary; it was a brazen, shameless auction that betrayed every value the ADC promised to uphold,” he alleged . He detailed irregularities including “The Hotel Situation Room,” where party officials treated a hotel room “exactly like a clandestine situation room where the state party leadership retired after their field day to finish their manipulative work behind closed doors” . He also accused the process of “weaponizing religion and region against the poor,” alleging that in Gombe State, the election was engineered so that “only a homogeneous crowd of predominantly Muslim men and women were present, without a single Christian or representative of other native tribes in attendance” .

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Despite the growing crisis, Atiku Abubakar has made efforts to unify the party. On Thursday, May 28, 2026, he visited Amaechi at his Abuja residence, accompanied by Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal . Atiku disclosed the visit in a post on his Facebook page, describing Amaechi as “my brother and compatriot” and stating that both men held “deep and honest conversations” about Nigeria’s worsening economic and security situation . “Beyond the warmth and camaraderie, we had deep and honest conversations about the troubling state of our nation, the growing economic pain, insecurity, and the urgent responsibility on patriotic Nigerians to continue engaging in the search for solutions that can rescue our country from drift and despair,” Atiku wrote . The former vice president also noted that he felicitated Amaechi on his birthday and exchanged banters over Arsenal Football Club’s recent triumph . However, a source close to Atiku told Premium Times that Amaechi remained noncommittal during the meeting. “He only listened to our principal, exchanged banters with him and said he would make his decision on the ADC presidential ticket known after consulting his associates and supporters,” the source said. “He, however, assured our man that whatever decision he makes would be in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians” .

The dispute has deepened divisions within the opposition coalition that recently rallied around the ADC as a possible platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 . Political observers note that Amaechi, a former director-general of Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaigns, is considered one of the influential political figures whose support could shape the emerging opposition coalition . Some stakeholders in the party, who are loyal to Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen, have warned of the eminent implosion in the ADC, calling on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by Sen. David Mark to address the grievances generated by the brazen manipulation in the primaries . They warned that if nothing is done, they will be left with no option than to work against the party in 2027 . For now, Amaechi has made two things clear: he was never offered the VP slot, and he will not accept what he calls a “concocted” primary result. Whether he will remain in the ADC or seek other political platforms remains an open question as the opposition coalition teeters on the brink of fragmentation.

‘I Didn’t Buy ADC Form to Be VP,’ Amaechi Dismisses Speculation