This follows a convention being planned for Saturday, May 30 in Abuja by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the PDP to affirm Jonathan’s candidacy.

In a statement issued on Friday, Jungudo Mohammed, national publicity secretary of the PDP faction, described the planned exercise as unauthorised and misleading.

Mohammed said the party had not scheduled, approved or endorsed any convention, meeting or process for the affirmation of Jonathan’s candidacy.

He urged party members, supporters and the public to disregard reports about the planned event, saying they were intended to create confusion within the polity.

According to him, the former president should also publicly distance himself from the planned exercise to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the country.

“The party urges former President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from this charade in order to protect the integrity of the democratic process and preserve the credibility he earned while serving the nation,” the statement reads.

Mohammed further called on security agencies to investigate the source of the reports and take appropriate action against those behind them.

According to him, all primary elections, including governorship, state assembly, national assembly and presidential primaries, had already been concluded in line with the Electoral Act, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines and the party’s constitution.

Meanwhile, the Turaki-led faction of the PDP has alleged intimidation ahead of the planned convention.

In a statement signed by Ini Ememobong, the faction’s national publicity secretary, the group accused the FCT minister of threatening to shut down the venue for the event.

The faction claimed that the management of A Class Event Centre in Wuse 2, Abuja, the venue of the event, informed it of alleged threats from the FCT minister over the planned gathering.

According to the statement, the venue had been fully paid for, and security agencies had already been notified about the convention.

The group said its lawyers had been directed to remind the management of the event centre of the contractual agreement reached with the organisers.

Despite the alleged intimidation, the faction insisted that the convention would proceed as scheduled on Saturday, May 30, at the A Class Event Centre in Abuja.

The group also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, alleging that actions by some government officials were beginning to portray authoritarian tendencies.

It added that the FCT minister had no legal authority to determine which political events should hold or where they should take place.

The post Wike-backed PDP faction disowns planned convention to affirm Jonathan as 2027 presidential candidate first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday evening, Saraki dismissed claims that the opposition party has lost relevance, attributing such perceptions to disagreements among party leaders rather than realities at the grassroots.

According to him, while political tensions may dominate discussions in Abuja, the PDP continues to enjoy strong support across states and communities nationwide.

“When you stay here in Abuja, you might say that because of the noise from leaders having their disagreements. But when you go to the states and the grassroots, you will find that PDP is still very strong,” he said.

Citing Kwara state as an example, Saraki said feedback from stakeholders and party loyalists indicates sustained support for the PDP, describing the party as “very sellable” across the country.

On internal party matters, the former governor disclosed that he initially opposed the Ibadan convention but later allowed delegates from Kwara to participate after assurances that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would attend to legitimise the process.

He, however, noted that INEC was absent, insisting that the exercise should have been halted under such circumstances to uphold due process.

Saraki also dismissed speculation about a possible defection, reaffirming his loyalty to the PDP. He explained that his recent low profile was due to his decision not to contest upcoming elections, rather than any withdrawal from party activities.

The former senate president confirmed he would attend the party’s next national convention and urged members to do the same to strengthen unity within the PDP.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Saraki advocated zoning the party’s presidential ticket to the South while allocating the national chairman position to the North-Central region to ensure balance.

He acknowledged that the party’s crisis has affected its progress but expressed optimism that it could emerge stronger if the issues are properly managed.

Saraki also warned against the risk of a one-party state, stressing that a vibrant opposition is essential for Nigeria’s democracy.

The post Saraki: PDP still strong at grassroots despite leadership crisis first appeared on The Times of Abuja.