2027: Turaki Faction’s Jonathan Ticket Is ‘Charade’, Says Aviation Minister
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called on former President Goodluck Jonathan to reject the presidential ticket offered to him by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the move as a “bizarre comedy” and warning that accepting it could damage Jonathan’s global image.
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP had announced Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election. However, Keyamo argued that the faction is not recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Keyamo wrote: “This is some kind of bizarre comedy taken too far by supposedly grown adults and some names that were actually in the corridors of power at some point in this country. Giving a whole Presidential ticket to an ex-President and statesman by proxy and by a bunch of people not even registered on INEC’s website.”
Keyamo further stated: “And they don’t give a hoot, dragging such a revered figure into their charade that is certainly a journey to nowhere. Quite sad.”
The minister urged Jonathan to distance himself from the faction’s announcement. “For the sake of his global image, President Goodluck Jonathan must immediately issue a strong ‘no, thank you’ statement, lest Nigerians begin to recall the ‘clueless’ campaign that got him out of power – first sitting President to be so ousted.”
Jonathan served as President of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. He lost his re-election bid in 2015 to then-candidate Muhammadu Buhari, becoming the first incumbent Nigerian president to be defeated in a general election. The “clueless” label referenced by Keyamo was widely used during the 2015 campaign by opponents of Jonathan’s administration.
The PDP has been embroiled in leadership crises since its defeat in the 2015 election, with multiple factions emerging over the years. The Turaki-led faction is one of several groups claiming legitimacy within the party. INEC has consistently maintained that it recognises only the leadership structure arising from legally conducted party congresses and conventions.
As of press time, Jonathan had not issued any public response to the faction’s announcement or to Keyamo’s statement. The former president has repeatedly stated in previous interviews that he remains committed to his role as a statesman and has not declared interest in contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has been a vocal critic of the PDP and served as spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election before his ministerial appointment.