2027 Ambition: The three words Keyamo wants Jonathan to say right now

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has taken a swipe at the purported nomination of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential candidate of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the development as a “bizarre comedy” and a political exercise destined to fail.

In a strongly worded reaction posted on his X handle, Keyamo urged Jonathan to immediately distance himself from the move, warning that silence could damage the former president’s reputation both at home and abroad.

The controversy erupted after reports emerged that a faction of the PDP allegedly led by former Deputy National Chairman, Bode George-backed figure Turaki, had adopted Jonathan as its presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.

Reacting to the development, Keyamo dismissed the exercise as lacking legitimacy, arguing that the individuals behind the move were not even recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The minister expressed disbelief that political actors would drag a former president and elder statesman into what he described as a political charade.

“This is some kind of bizarre comedy taken too far by supposedly grown adults and some names that were actually in the corridors of power at some point in this country,” Keyamo wrote.

He further questioned the rationale behind handing a presidential ticket to Jonathan “by proxy” and accused those behind the move of embarking on what he termed “a journey to nowhere.”

In one of the sharpest parts of his statement, Keyamo called on the former president to publicly reject the nomination without delay.

According to him, Jonathan’s continued silence could revive memories of the “clueless” narrative that dogged his administration before he became the first sitting Nigerian president to lose a re-election bid.

“For the sake of his global image, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan must immediately issue a strong ‘No, thank you’ statement,” Keyamo said.

The comments have added a fresh twist to the growing debate surrounding the future of the opposition PDP and the emergence of factions within the party ahead of the 2027 general election.