2027 Election: What'll Happen if Peter Obi Dumps Coalition, Returns to PDP? Jerry Gana Speaks
- Professor Jerry Gana said Peter Obi would defeat any candidate in the northern region if he returns to the PDP and contests the 2027 presidential election
- Gana described the PDP as a true grassroots party that played a major role in restoring democracy and winning full control of government in 1999
- He downplayed internal PDP crises as elite-level issues and hinted that the North is expected to produce the presidential candidate in 2031 for fairness and national unity
Former Minister of Information and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Jerry Gana, has said that Labour Party's Peter Obi would gain support from the northern region if he contests under the PDP in the 2027 presidential election.
Gana made the remarks on Prime Time aired by Arise Television on Wednesday, July 30, where he also spoke on the strength of the PDP, its founding ideals, and Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Source: Twitter
Speaking confidently about Obi’s popularity across regions, Gana said northern voters are fair-minded and would support the former Anambra State governor if he rejoined the PDP.
“I’m a researcher, and I research opinions. In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate, because our people are very fair-minded,” he said.
Legit.ng reports that Obi left the PDP in May 2022 and ran for president under the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, where he gained significant support, particularly among young voters.
PDP remains a true grassroots party
Professor Gana, who played a significant role during Nigeria’s return to democratic rule, reminded Nigerians of the PDP’s deep roots and its original mission of restoring civil governance, as reported by Vanguard.
“I must confess that many people have forgotten that the PDP was created as a grassroots organisation.
“In 1998, we were formed and then, moving to the elections in 1999, we were in every polling unit, because we are the ones who really won the first election," he stated.
He went on to say:
“We won the presidency, we won the Senate, and we won the House. We were totally in control, and that is why we were very delighted that we restored democracy to Nigeria and re-established civil rule.”
Jerry Gana: PDP crisis is only among elites
Source: Getty Images
Responding to questions about internal conflicts within the PDP, Gana dismissed the scale of the problem, suggesting it was confined to a few individuals in the capital, Punch reported.
“So when this recent problem happened, it was really among a few elites here in Abuja. It didn’t even go beyond,” he remarked.
Jerry Gana: North’s turn in 2031
Looking beyond 2027, the elder statesman hinted at a zoning agreement within the party to ensure equity and balance across regions.
“In 2031, it will be the turn of the North. Our people are very fair, and we are building a nation,” he said.
Analyst slams Jerry Gana
Reacting to Gana's statement, a political analyst, Hayatu Hamma, said:
"Jerry Gana deceiving, himself, I wonder where he was all this while the PDP is sinking.
"The reality is the PDP is now comatose and in the whims and caprices of Tinubu through Wike.
"So anyone talking PDP now is talking Tinubu as they will obviously adopt him as candidate 2027."
2027: Peter Obi asked to dump presidential ambition
Legit.ng earlier reported that a former member of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Mr Jude Idimogu, has urged Mr Peter Obi to shelve his 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Idimogu, who is the Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
Source: Legit.ng
