The Nyesom Wike-backed leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, has distanced itself from reports of a planned convention to affirm former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as the party's presidential candidate. The party described the move as unauthorized and capable of creating confusion within the polity.
Official Statement Denies Convention
In a statement issued on Friday by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the PDP said no such convention, meeting, or process had been scheduled, approved, or endorsed by its leadership or any recognized organ of the party. The party urged its members, supporters, and the general public to disregard the reports, insisting that the information being circulated in some quarters was false and misleading.
“The Party wishes to categorically state that no such convention, meeting, or process has been scheduled, approved, or endorsed by the leadership or any recognised organ of the Peoples Democratic Party,” the statement read.
Primaries Already Concluded
The opposition party maintained that all its primary elections, including governorship, state assembly, National Assembly, and presidential primaries, had already been concluded in line with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Electoral Act, and the party's constitution. According to the PDP, the exercises were peacefully conducted across the country under the supervision of INEC.
Call for Jonathan to Dissociate
The PDP also called on former President Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from what it described as a “charade” in order to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation. “In view of this development, we respectfully call on former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from this charade in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation,” the statement added.
Security Agencies Urged to Investigate
The PDP further urged security agencies to investigate the source of the alleged false reports and prosecute those responsible, accusing them of attempting to create political tension in the country. It warned that it would no longer tolerate acts capable of dragging the party into disrepute through misinformation and unauthorized political activities aimed at undermining its democratic structures.
“The PDP will henceforth not fold its arms and allow the Party to be dragged into disrepute through falsehood, misinformation, and unauthorised political activities aimed at undermining its integrity and democratic structures,” Mohammed stated.
Reaffirming its commitment to due process, internal democracy, and the rule of law, the party advised members of the public to rely only on official communications issued by duly authorized officials of the PDP.
