In a dramatic and defiant display of political resolve, the Turaki faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally adopted former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as its 2027 presidential candidate — pressing ahead with the historic declaration even as armed thugs invaded the convention venue in shocking scenes of violence and chaos that have drawn widespread condemnation across Nigeria.
The adoption of Jonathan as the Turaki PDP’s presidential flagbearer represents a landmark political moment — one that was nearly derailed by the brazen and deeply troubling invasion of thugs who stormed the convention venue, assaulted journalists, seized recording equipment, and created an atmosphere of terror and pandemonium that threatened to reduce one of the most consequential political gatherings in recent Nigerian history to a scene of lawlessness and disorder.
Yet despite the violence, disruption, and chaos that surrounded the proceedings, Turaki PDP delegates pressed forward — demonstrating a determination to complete the business of the convention and ensure that Jonathan’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate was formally concluded regardless of the provocations and intimidations being directed at the gathering.
The Turaki PDP’s adoption of Jonathan signals the crystallisation of a significant opposition political movement around the former president — one that seeks to leverage Jonathan’s national goodwill, South-South base, Middle Belt sympathy, and cross-regional appeal into a formidable 2027 presidential campaign capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Jonathan’s emergence comes on the heels of a court ruling confirming his electoral eligibility — a landmark judicial decision that determined the former president’s completion of the late President Yar’Adua’s term does not count as a full presidential term under the 1999 Constitution, thereby clearing his path to contest the presidency once more.
However, the violent scenes at the convention have immediately and severely complicated the narrative surrounding Jonathan’s emergence — with critics, opposition rivals, and civil society groups questioning whether a political gathering that could not protect its own participants and press corps from thuggery can credibly position itself as an administration capable of protecting 220 million Nigerians.
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and press freedom organisations have demanded the immediate identification, arrest, and prosecution of all thugs involved in the assault on journalists at the convention — stressing that attacks on the press are attacks on the fundamental democratic rights of every Nigerian citizen.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, who had earlier issued a strong public warning urging Jonathan to reject a proxy presidential ticket, is expected to respond to the Turaki PDP adoption with further commentary — as the APC intensifies its efforts to discourage the former president from entering the 2027 presidential race.
Jonathan himself is yet to make a formal personal acceptance statement — leaving open the critical question of whether the former president will fully embrace the Turaki PDP candidacy or maintain the studied ambiguity that has characterised his public posture on the 2027 presidential question thus far.
Political analysts warn that unless the violence and thuggery at the convention are swiftly and decisively addressed, Jonathan’s emergence risks being permanently associated with the chaos that surrounded it — a damaging optics problem for a candidate whose greatest political asset is his reputation for dignity, civility, and peaceful democratic conduct.
CDA News Nigeria strongly condemns the assault on journalists and convention participants and calls for immediate justice for all victims of the thuggery that marred this significant political event.
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