A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Sani, says former president Goodluck Jonathan is taking his time before publicly accepting or rejecting the party’s nomination form ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Sani made the claims on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television.

He stated that the issue of whether Jonathan is reluctant does not arise because he has been the president before.

The PDP stalwart, who noted that Jonathan wants to become president, stressed that there are obstacles along the way that he wants to clear before making his decision public.

“There is an eligibility case against Jonathan. Even though the court has dismissed the case, the people are adamant and they have gone ahead to appeal the judgment.

“Now, one thing must give way for another to thrive. Jonathan wants to become president. There are encumbrances that need to be cleared before he will express himself.

“So I won’t think there is any reluctance on his part. He is very determined to become president of Nigeria, but he is being very careful about the court case.

“So, as far as we are concerned, Jonathan is our candidate. We have put out his name, though he has not come out publicly to either accept or reject. I think he’s been very strategic. He’s taking his time,” the PDP chieftain said.

Six members of the House of Representatives from Oyo State have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the Allied Peoples Movement, APM.

The lawmakers are believed to be loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde, who has emerged the presidential candidate of the APM following his defection to the party.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session at the resumption of plenary following the Sallah break on Tuesday, read 13 letters announcing the change of parties by lawmakers.

The members of the Oyo House of Representatives caucus who defected to the APM on Tuesday include Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle and Adigun Adekunle.

The lawmakers, in their letters of defection, cited the protracted internal crisis and leadership tussle in the PDP as a reason to seek a political alternative to pursue their ambitions in 2027.

Makinde, with this development, has taken six out of the 14 members of the Oyo State caucus in the House of Representatives with him to the APM.

Political commentator Imran Wakili has blamed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the growing crisis within the African Democratic Congress, ADC, claiming that most of the political figures who helped build the party’s coalition structure in Adamawa State have now left.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Wakili said none of the political heavyweights who started the coalition in Adamawa remains with Atiku in the ADC, arguing that the former presidential candidate could not be absolved of responsibility for the situation.

According to him, former governorship candidate Aishatu Binani has joined the NDC, while former Governor Jibrilla Bindow is consulting on his next political move. He also stated that former Senator Ishaku Abbo had moved to the Labour Party and that Abdulaziz Nyako had joined the APC.

Wakili claimed that Atiku was now left in the ADC with only a few loyalists, including his son, Adamu, and others.

He wrote: “Amongst the political heavyweights that started the coalition in Adamawa, not even one is with Atiku and ADC today, No matter how you look at it, you can’t excuse Atiku from this mess.

“Binani left for NDC. Bindow is consulting and deciding on his next political step.

“Abbo left for the Labour Party.

Abdulaziz Nyako left for the APC.

“Atiku is left with his son Adamu, Baba 10, and the likes. Baba really fumbled Adamawa, We warned them, but they said we don’t like Atiku.

“Nah, I don’t dislike him, I am just a realist.”

DAILY POST reports that the comments come a day after former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, announced his resignation from the ADC.

Lawal, among other things, alleged that the party’s recently concluded primaries were manipulated in favour of Atiku.