Jonathan, Ganduje Meet on Abuja
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has received former Kano State Governor and ex-national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, at his residence in Abuja.
Ganduje paid a courtesy visit to Jonathan with a video showing the meeting shared on Wednesday.
Jonathan served as President of Nigeria from May 6, 2010, to May 29, 2015, having first assumed office following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in May 2010. He later won the 2011 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ganduje, on the other hand, served as Governor of Kano State from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023, after previously serving as deputy governor under Rabiu Kwankwaso. He later became national chairman of the APC.
The Abuja meeting comes amid increased political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Days ago, Jonathan expressed confidence in APC candidates contesting various positions in Bayelsa East Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 elections.
Jonathan made the remarks at his residence in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when a delegation led by former Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd.), visited him.
The delegation included the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, and the Bayelsa State APC Chairman, Hon. Warman Weri Ogoriba.
The purpose of the visit was to formally introduce the APC candidates to Jonathan as a prominent political leader from Bayelsa East Senatorial District.
While presenting the candidates, Jonah appealed to Jonathan and other stakeholders to support them, describing them as individuals with the capacity, experience and character needed to effectively represent their constituents.
The candidates presented included Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, who is contesting for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District seat; Hon. Jonathan Robinson Obuebite, PhD, for the Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency; and Barr. Jude Amidator Rex-Ogbuku for the Ogbia Federal Constituency.
Several APC candidates for the Bayelsa State House of Assembly were also presented to the former president.
They included Hon. Oteigbanyo George Braah for Nembe Constituency 1, Hon. Edward Brigidi Irigha for Nembe Constituency 2 and Hon. Alalibo West for Nembe Constituency 3.
Others were Hon. Daniel Charles for Brass Constituency 1, Hon. Timi Agala for Brass Constituency 2 and Rt. Hon. Abraham Ngobere for Brass Constituency 3.
The list also included Chief Ebiango Okoba Egain for Ogbia Constituency 1, Hon. Godknows Obein for Ogbia Constituency 2 and Chief Gabriel Michael Ogbara for Ogbia Constituency 3.
After the presentation, Jonathan acknowledged the quality of the candidates, saying virtually all of them were people who could be trusted based on their capacity, performance and experience.
The former president subsequently gave the candidates his blessings and urged them to remain committed to serving the people if elected.
Jonathan also advised the candidates to see politics as an opportunity to improve society rather than simply a contest for political positions.
He urged them to use public office, if elected, to attract meaningful development to their constituencies and contribute to the overall progress of Bayelsa State.
The former president further called on the candidates and other political stakeholders in the state to preserve peace, unity and cooperation, stressing that peaceful coexistence remained essential to the development of Bayelsa.
Recall that in August, a faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki submitted Jonathan’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate.
INEC rejected the submission, insisting that candidate nominations must be made through its designated electronic platform.
INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said, “Submission is only done on a dedicated portal as stipulated by our regulations and guidelines please.”
The Turaki-led faction disputed INEC’s position. Its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, claimed that the faction had been denied the access codes required to complete the electronic submission.
“Notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes… we have successfully submitted, manually and in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the list of candidates sponsored by the authentic Peoples Democratic Party,” Ememobong said.
