•Jonathan and PDP logo
Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of Peoples democratic Party (PDP), has launched the presidential campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan, stressing that the party’s presidential candidate is committed to rescuing Nigeria.
The event took place today in Lagos under the leadership of Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, the Lagos State gubernatorial candidate of the party, reports Daily Independent.
According to Pearse, Jonathan is committed to contesting the 2027 presidential election, saying the former president’s decision to obtain the party’s nomination form and certificate of return showed his commitment.
He said the event was organised in accordance with the PDP’s structure, under which governorship candidates coordinate presidential campaign activities in their respective states.
“In every state, the governorship candidate represents the presidential campaign of that state. That’s why I’m here today. On behalf of our presidential candidate, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, we welcome all of you to the announcement of his race for the presidency in 2027,” Pearse said.
Pearse commended the leadership and members of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area for their longstanding contributions to the PDP and their electoral performance.
He urged party members to remain focused despite disagreements within the party, saying the PDP would work towards victory in the 2027 elections.
“There are some party leaders who take it upon themselves to create havoc in the party. They’ll divide the party, terrorise people and discredit people. I’m an old man in this game. I’ve been here for a long time. Nobody is going to terrorise us.
“Nobody is going to scare us. Nobody is going to discourage us. We’re going to continue to do this work, and we’re winning this election,” he added.
The politician said the success of the presidential campaign would depend significantly on the strength of the party’s structures and governorship campaign in each state.
“The presidential campaign is only as good as the governorship campaign in the states. The president doesn’t have a committee in any state. It’s the governorship candidates that hold the lead and form the arm of that presidential candidate in the states,” he said.
He also said the Jonathan campaign had the support of the party’s national leadership, citing a message he received from the national chairman, Taminu Turaki.
The PDP candidate said Jonathan’s relatively quiet approach to political activities shouldn’t be interpreted as lack of interest in the 2027 election.
“Jonathan has spoken already in many ways. When you pick up your nomination form and your Certificate of Return, it’s obvious he’s running. You know why he’s not shouting? It’s because we’ve been accosted by Nyesom Wike and his co-travellers. He doesn’t want to get into very bad arguments with those people,” he said.
“If Jonathan wasn’t running, would he have taken the nomination form? And if he wasn’t interested in the certificate of return which we gave him, he wouldn’t have accepted it through his representative. I spoke to Goodluck Jonathan today, and he told me that he’s excited, ready to go, empowered and determined,” he said.
He dismissed suggestions that Jonathan’s candidacy would divide Southern votes and benefit President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“Why would Goodluck Jonathan be splitting the vote? Does Tinubu have the votes? So what vote is he splitting?” Pearse asked.
He described Jonathan as a democrat, citing his concession of the 2015 presidential election and subsequent international engagements as evidence of his democratic credentials.
“As a president who willingly gave up power because he didn’t want Nigerians blood to be shed. Under Goodluck Jonathan, our GDP was the highest in Africa, surpassing South Africa for the first time in the history of Nigeria. Under Goodluck Jonathan, there were no political prisoners. He was a real democrat,” he said.
He said Nigerians should expect economic progress, peace, security and respect for democratic institutions from a Jonathan presidency.
“Jonathan has demonstrated again and again that he’s a true democrat who allows people to vote their conscience. He’s shown that he will confront the security issue, which is very difficult. Pearse said.
He said the PDP would continue to mobilise members and supporters ahead of the 2027 election, adding that Jonathan’s presidential campaign had formally commenced in Lagos.
“All we need is for Goodluck Jonathan to be on the ticket, and he is willing to be on the ticket. Everybody knows Goodluck Jonathan is on board. He’s committed to this election. He is coming back,” Pearse said.
“We came here to do this today because he said we should go ahead and do it.
Speaking about the Lagos governorship election, Pearse expressed confidence in the PDP’s chances against the APC candidate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.
He said some voters who supported the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2023 election could return to the PDP in 2027.
“Don’t forget that in 2023, Obi took a lot of our people’s votes away. Now many of those votes are coming back to PDP because they’ve seen that they cannot continue to follow Obi who is going from pillar to post.” Pearse said.
Pearse said the PDP would campaign on competence and development, rather than ethnic considerations, ahead of the Lagos governorship election.
“Lagosians are voting for the best candidate for governor. Somebody who’ll take care of their needs. Somebody who understands that the money of Lagos is going to be used to develop Lagos,” he said.
He said his administration, if elected, would focus on development across all divisions of Lagos State.
Pearse also said his emergence as the PDP governorship candidate and the choice of his running mate, Barr. Bolanle Akorede, had strengthened the party’s prospects in Lagos.
The House of Assembly Candidate for Amuwo Odofin Constituency 1 on the platform of PDP, Hon. Hon. Rolmel Lele, in his remarks, appreciated party leaders and stakeholders in attendance, saying that this is time for PDP to take the mantle of leadership in the state, even as described former President Jonathan as a member with good heart needed to rule the country, come 2027.
According to Lele, Jonathan is a caring leader, who cares for people’s lives, adding: “You can’t compare anybody with him, this is the kind of leader we want to lead Nigeria from 2027.”
“We’re calling on Nigerians to vote for former President Jonathan, come 2027,” he said.
On the governorship race, Lele asserted that Pearse is a true indigene of Lagos, assuring that the party was ready for gubernatorial poll, come 2027.
He further assured that Pearse if voted as the next governor of Lagos State would deliver governance, describing as a grassroots leader, who should be rallied to victory by Lagosians.
