The Tanimu Turaki faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has named former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election, announcing the decision in absentia on Saturday. In a statement issued Tuesday, the faction's National Public游戏副本 Secretariat, Ini Ememobong, hit back at Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, who had urged Jonathan to distance himself from the PDP and the upcoming race. The PDP faction described Keyamo's comments as proof of the ruling All Progressives Congress's unease over Jonathan's potential return to power.
The faction said Nigerians remember Jonathan's tenure for political stability, economic growth, stronger investor confidence, and greater national inclusion. It pointed to Keyamo's past as a critic of government, noting the irony in his current stance against democratic participation by opposition figures. "It is rather ironic that Festus Keyamo, a man who built his public profile through relentless criticism of governments and public office holders, now seeks to deny others the very democratic space he once occupied with such enthusiasm," the statement read.
The PDP accused Keyamo of avoiding pressing national issues, such as worsening economic hardship, insecurity, and declining purchasing power. It added that Nigerians are more concerned with solutions to these problems than with political advice from a minister who failed to implement a cashless policy. The faction maintained that neither Keyamo nor the APC can stop citizens from supporting leaders they believe can reposition the country. "We can assure Keyamo and the APC that no amount of intimidation, blackmail, or scaremongering can prevent Nigerians from freely expressing their political preferences," it stated.
Festus Keyamo, once known for challenging authority, now defends an administration that restricts political space while questioning a former president's candidacy. The same democratic rights he exercised in opposition are now dismissed when used by others. His focus on Jonathan's return, rather than aviation sector failures, reveals a shift from critic to regime protector. Nigerians who remember his past stance now see a contradiction in his position.
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