…As party issues certificates of return to candidates
By Lateef Ibrahim
The Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that no other presidential candidate in the country can match the caliber of its flagbearer, former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The National Chairman of the INWC, Dr. Tanimu Turaki (SAN), made the assertion on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting with the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).
The high-level meeting coincided with the presentation of Certificates of Return to candidates who emerged victorious in the party’s recent primaries.
Expressing absolute confidence in Jonathan’s candidacy, Turaki stated that the PDP is positioned to outclass its rivals, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Today, I doubt if there’s any presidential candidate of any political party, and I dare say including the All Progressives Congress (APC), that can stand shoulder to shoulder with our own candidate,” Turaki boasted.
“So, wherever you go… raise your shoulders very high because PDP will set the pace.”
Turaki assured party faithful that the PDP will contest and win in every constituency across the federation. He emphasized that the party has instituted rigorous background and security checks on all its candidates to safeguard its anticipated victories from being overturned at election tribunals.
“We are doing this because, for us in PDP, the next set of leaders must be ones that are beyond reproach.
“They must be clean, honest, credible, and possess the capacity to deliver democratic dividends to their people.”
The event concluded with the presentation of Certificates of Return to the party’s standard-bearers across various states.
The recognized candidates include:
North-West: Lawal Mohammed Umar (Kaduna), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Kebbi), Mohammed Kabir (Kano),North-Central: Hassan Oladimeji Ali (Kwara), Mohammed Ja’afaru (Nasarawa), Emmanuel Agbo (Benue), Sunday Garba (Plateau).
Others areNorth-East: Zanna Gadama Mustapha (Borno), Sheriff Abdullahi (Yobe), Caleb Maigbadani (Adamawa), Mohammed Ahmed Yayari (Gombe), Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya (Taraba);
South-East: Ibeabuchi Ihenechukwu (Abia), Donatus Nwogbo (Enugu), Eze Alexander (Ebonyi);
South-South: Effiong Eyamba (Cross River), Etenabene Benedict (Delta), Victor Richard (Rivers); and South-West: Taofeek Arapaja (Oyo), Oladipupo Adebisi (Ogun), Adetokumbo Pierce (Lagos).
