2027: Makinde capable of contesting for PDP ticket against Obi, Jonathan

By Ayorinde Oluokun/with agency report

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Femi Babalola, has said Governor Seyi Makinde is capable of competing for the president ticket of the party against the likes of former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Anambra governor, Peter Obi.

Obi who is a member of Labour party and part of the ADC opposition coalition has reputedly indicated that he will contest the 2027 presidential election.

However, he has not disclosed the platform on which he will contest the presidency.

But some members of the PDP have been making overtures to him to join the party and leads it in battle against incumbent President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election. Obi, who was the presidential candidate of Labour Party in 2023 has not indicated if he will bow to pressure from the PDP members.

Also, some members of the PDP have also been calling on former President to return to partisan politics, join the party and contest for the 2027 presidential election.

Jonathan, who lost bid for reelection in 2015 to Muhammadu Buhari of APC can only run for one term and this has made some Northerners who are desirous of ensuring that the presidency returns to Northern Nigeria in 2031 to be advocating for his return to PDP for another presidential run.

Like Obi, Jonathan has also not reacted to calls that he should join the presidential race.

The calls on the two men to join the 2027 presidential is getting louder with the zoning of the PDP presidential ticket for 2027 at the party’s NEC meeting last Monday.

Speaking in Ibadan after inspecting a project he donated years ago to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Babalola who supported the zoning of PDP presidential ticket to the South, said the party has enough strength in the North to face a “South versus South” contest.

The businessman said that Makinde’s eight years as governor would give him a clear edge to contest head-to-head with other PDP heavyweights in the race.

He argued that Makinde, with his fresh ideas and remarkable performance, could compete with Obi and Jonathan in the battle for the 2027 PDP presidential ticket.

According to him, Makinde has performed creditably well, though not perfect, stressing that no leader in the world can achieve 100 per cent in governance.

Babalola said that contesting the governorship position in Oyo state was not on his front burner, but may join the race if he is dissatisfied with the pedigree of aspirants that come out.

“Contesting the governorship in Oyo State is not on the front burner for me now. I am currently studying the aspirants coming out in the PDP today.

“If I am dissatisfied with the aspirants, then I can join the race. I am a consistent and reliable PDP member, who has never defected from the party,” he said.

Babalola said that the PDP remains the leading party in the country since 2003, adding that its members have been the ones helping opposition parties to win elections.