The faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Tanimu Turaki has changed the venue of a special convention to ratify former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.
Both police officers, who blocked the roads leading to the initial venue, and party officials confirmed this to The Cable.
The party men said the special convention had been moved to another location in Area 10 of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
This is coming just after the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee said it will resist attempts aimed at intimidation.
It had fixed Saturday, today, for the convention to be held at the A-Class Park and Event Centre in Abuja.
It said no intimidation would detract the party from ratifying former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
However, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, issued a directive mandating owners of hotels, event centres and other public facilities to deal only with the leadership of political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
‘This is intimidation’
Reacting, the Turaki faction, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ini Ememobong, Friday in Abuja, said that the faction had been informed by the proprietors of A Class Event Centre of the threat by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
He alleged that Wike has threatened to shut down the centre if the faction was allowed to use their hall for its presidential candidate ratification ceremonies.
“We state here, and for the record, that we had furnished consideration in full to consummate the earlier offer and acceptance.
“Furthermore, we had duly notified all relevant security agencies about the event. We have directed our lawyers to write, reminding A Class Event Centre of these facts.
“Having satisfied these requirements, we reiterate that the special convention to ratify the presidential candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan will hold as scheduled on Saturday, May 30, at A Class Event Centre, Wuse 2, Abuja, by 10 a.m,” he said.
Ememobong described the directive of the minister as an attempt to use force to suppress political dissent and opposition.
He said there was nowhere in the laws where the Minister of the FCT was empowered to determine events that should be held and where they should be held.
“Such limitless powers are strange to a democratic republic,” he said
‘Convention to affirm Jonathan misleading’ – Wike PDP
Meanwhile, the Nyesom Wike-backed PDP, led by Abdulraman Mohammed, has denied the convention planned by Tanimu Turaki-led faction to affirm former Jonathan as its presidential candidate for 2027.
The party National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, also in a statement on Friday in Abuja, described the planned convention as false, misleading, and an attempt to create unnecessary political tension in the country.
Mohammed said that no such meeting or affirmation process had been scheduled or approved by any recognised organ of the party.
According to him, the PDP has already concluded all its statutory primary elections—including those for the Presidency, National Assembly, Governorship, and State Houses of Assembly.
He said that it was done in strict compliance with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Electoral Act, and the party’s constitution.
“The Party wishes to categorically state that no such convention, meeting, or process has been scheduled, approved, or endorsed by the leadership or any recognised organ of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“We, therefore, urge all party faithful, supporters, stakeholders, and members of the public to disregard such false information, as it is misleading, unauthorised, and intended to create confusion within the polity.
“In view of this development, we respectfully call on 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,” Mohammed said.
He also urged relevant security agencies to investigate the source of the false reports and take decisive action against those behind them.
He warned that the PDP would no longer tolerate its name being dragged into disrepute through unauthorised political activities.
Mohammed reiterated the PDP’s total commitment to internal democracy, due process, and the rule of law.
He advised members of the public to rely strictly on official channels for any communication regarding party affairs.
Recall that the Wike PDP, on Tuesday, affirmed a former member of the National Assembly, Senator Sandy Onor, as its consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
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