Dare Babalola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that a former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, cannot decide the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.
The statement, made by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, while addressing newsmen on Monday, is a reaction to a recent by Gana where he said President Goodluck Jonathan would become the party’s flagbearer in 2027.
While stating that the former minster does not have the party’s authority to speak, Ologunagba added that the PDP is focused on its national convention and has qualified candidates to fly its flag in 2027.
He said, “Professor Jerry Gana doesn’t speak for the PDP. I don’t also speak for Professor Jerry Gana.
‘’I don’t speak for Professor Jerry Gana. People can express their opinion. But I will emphasise this. In this party, as we are on Tueday, President Jonathan is a member, he has not said he’s not a member.
“But I can tell you, on Tueday, 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 the place and do the right thing, because their performances in their states show their capacity, which is actually the DNA of the PDP.
‘’So, I don’t speak for 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. Those should be semantics.”
Gana had at the weekend said Nigerians, having seen the disparity in their lives after eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari and two years under incumbent President Bola Tinubu, now knew better and wanted Jonathan to return.
The minister stated this on Saturday in Minna after the election of new officials by the Niger State chapter of PDP.
He also confirmed that Jonathan would contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of PDP.
He had said, “I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the presidential election in 2027 as PDP candidate and you will vote for him to return as President again.
