The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, has the right to air his opinion, but stressed that former President Goodluck Jonathan has not declared interest in contesting the 2027 presidential election.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, made this known while reacting to Gana’s claim that Jonathan would vie for the presidency on the PDP platform.
Ologunagba said the party’s focus remains on its forthcoming national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
His words: “I don’t speak for Professor Jerry Gana. People can express their opinion. But, I will emphasise that in this party, as we are today, President Jonathan is a member; he has not said he’s not a member.
“But, I can tell you, today, this party has eminently qualified Nigerians, particularly at the governors level, who have done exceedingly well, that Nigeria can tap on that and say, step up to the place and do the right thing, because their performances in their state show their capacity, which is actually the DNA of the PDP.
“I invite you to have a peer review mechanism between PDP states and the APC states. This is the conversation we should be having for the Nigerian people to look at PDP and see the array of qualified people that are there.
“So, I don’t speak for former President Jonathan. I don’t speak for Jerry Gana, with all due respect. But our party is focused on our convention. And when we get to that bridge, we’ll cross it.”
Speculation about Jonathan’s possible return in 2027 has been rife in recent weeks, forcing the Presidency to issue a clarification yesterday.