Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has cautioned that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2027 presidential campaign faces major difficulties if it chooses former President Goodluck Jonathan or ex-Anambra governor Peter Obi as its standard bearer.
In a lengthy post on his X account on Sunday, Keyamo stated that the opposition party is still in a “non-enviable position” after failing to zone its 2023 ticket to the South, a decision he claims cost the PDP support in its traditional strongholds in the South-South and South-East.
Keyamo said that selecting Jonathan poses a constitutional risk due to clause 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as modified), which he claimed might prevent someone sworn in twice as president from running again.
“If he is fielded, the Party runs the risk of not having a candidate at all,” Keyamo wrote, warning that such a legal challenge would ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.
“The constitutional amendment was made after the court judgement which cleared him (Jonathan) to run in 2015, so nothing is decided yet on that new amendment; hence, I use the word ‘risk’ advisedly. All the arguments as to whether the section can be interpreted to affect him will not be decided on social media, but at the Supreme Court.
“If he is barred from running after nominations have closed and the PDP is declared as having no candidate, nobody should scream ‘the judiciary is corrupt’ because such a large party saw the judicial danger ahead and deliberately ignored it.”
He also stated that the party would accept responsibility if it overlooked the legal risk and lost its candidature after nominations closed.
“All the arguments … will not be decided on social media, but at the Supreme Court,” he said.
Keyamo also denied the possibility of a successful South-West flagbearer for the PDP.
“If the PDP decides to field its most attractive S/West candidate, no other region of the country will vote for a fresh Yoruba candidate who would be eligible for a fresh two terms in office.
“And that candidate will battle with the well-oiled APC structures in the S/West. You need a majority of at least 3 to 4 regions in Nigeria to win the presidency.”
Speaking on Peter Obi, the minister said bringing the former Labour Party candidate into the PDP fold would not solve the party’s problems.
He suggested doubts about Obi’s credibility, plus his past one-term pledge, could dilute support among his core followers.
“The principled ones amongst the ‘obidients’ will see him as going back to his vomit … and may not be too vociferous in their support anymore,” Keyamo wrote.
Finally, the minister blamed the PDP’s current situation on what he called its “original sin” of not zoning the 2023 ticket for the South.
“The young social media warriors may lampoon anyone talking about these zoning sentiments, but that is the reality of our politics,” he said, adding that unless “something extraordinary happens, the Party may have to wait till 2031.”
