Jerry Gana free to air views, but Jonathan hasn’t declared for 2027, says PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says Jerry Gana, former minister of information, is free to express his views on the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.

Debo Ologunagba, PDP national publicity secretary, said this on Monday while reacting to Gana’s claim that former president Goodluck Jonathan would contest on the party’s platform.

Ologunagba said he is neither spokesman for Gana nor Jonathan, but stressed that the party is currently focused on its forthcoming national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo state.

His words: “I don’t speak for Professor Jerry Gana. People can express their opinion. But, I will emphasise that in this party, as we are today, President Jonathan is a member; he has not said he’s not a member.

“But, I can tell you, today, this party has eminently qualified Nigerians, particularly at the governorslevel, who have done exceedingly well, that Nigeria can tap on that and say, step up to the place and do the right thing, because their performances in their state show their capacity, which is actually the DNA of the PDP.

“I invite you to have a peer review mechanism between PDP states and the APC states. This is the conversation we should be having for the Nigerian people to look at PDP and see the array of qualified people that are there.

“So, I don’t speak for former President Jonathan. I don’t speak for Jerry Gana, with all due respect. But our party is focused on our convention. And when we get to that bridge, we’ll cross it.”

There are rumours that the former president will join the 2027 race, prompting the presidency to issue a statement yesterday on the matter.