Jonathan may be PDP’s 2027 wildcard against Tinubu, says Segun Sowunmi

Segun Sowunmi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says President Bola Tinubu will face tougher odds if Goodluck Jonathan enters the 2027 presidential race.

Speaking on Nigeria Info FM 99.3, Sowunmi described Jonathan as a potential “wildcard” for the party ahead of the polls.

There have been speculations that Jonathan may contest the presidency, for the second time of asking, on the PDP platform. However, the ex-president has been mum on the subject.

On Wednesday, Sowunmi said Jonathan enjoys political legitimacy in the south-south and could also secure strong support in the north and middle belt geopolitical zones.

The PDP chieftain said Jonathan’s candidacy would spice up the political landscape.

“Jonathan may be our wildcard, Jonathan is the man. I don’t know — because he has not confirmed — but he may be our wildcard,” he said.

“A Jonathan will not have legitimacy problems in the north, he will not have legitimacy problems in the south-south, he will have good voters in the north and middle belt.

“He may be the wildcard, but Jonathan has not said he will run, and I don’t look at people who are winking in the dark, I don’t join people to wink in the dark.

“But if Jonathan does come out, I can guarantee you that Bola Tinubu will have a bigger problem on his table and he will need a bigger strategy than the one he is running now, to defeat him.

“If you go to the far corners of the north and you hear what they are saying about Bola Tinubu’s government, you will cry and I can guarantee you that if it’s the Yoruba and their votes that he is banking on, they are not the kind of people that give their votes to only one person.”

On June 10, Sowunmi, a former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, ex-vice-president and former presidential candidate of the PDP, said he could work with Tinubu, adding that the president is “smarter” than his opponents.