Former President Jonathan Has Bought 2027 PDP Presidential Nomination Form, Says Party Chieftain

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and former presidential aide, Umar Sani, has claimed that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has already purchased the party’s presidential nomination form ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Sani, who served as senior special assistant on media and publicity to former Vice President Namadi Sambo, made the disclosure during an appearance on Trust TV on Tuesday.

The claim comes amid renewed consultations by Jonathan across political circles, fueling speculation that the former president may be preparing for a political comeback nearly 12 years after leaving office.

Although Jonathan has not publicly declared his ambition or confirmed which platform he may contest on, Sani suggested that internal crises within the PDP may have contributed to the former president’s cautious approach. He dismissed suggestions that the party was trying to use Jonathan’s public appeal for its own gain.

Sani insisted that the former president’s actions already indicated serious political interest, stating that procurement of the nomination form was a key action. He added that Jonathan was about to submit the forms publicly.

The PDP chieftain also expressed confidence that a pending lawsuit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the presidency again would fail, arguing that the matter had already been settled judicially. He said only the Supreme Court could overturn earlier decisions, and predicted that the case before Justice Peter Lifu would likely be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction when it comes up on May 26.

Sani further dismissed claims that Jonathan’s supporters were merely exploiting his name for political relevance, insisting that many Nigerians remained emotionally attached to the former president due to memories of his administration.

Jonathan served as Nigeria’s president between 2010 and 2015 before losing re-election to former President Muhammadu Buhari. Since leaving office, he has largely played diplomatic and mediation roles across Africa while avoiding direct involvement in partisan politics.