Lawyer and political analyst Maxwell Opara has cast doubt on the claim by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that former President Goodluck Jonathan is its presidential candidate for the 2027 election, insisting there is no evidence that Jonathan formally accepted the nomination or completed the required process.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Monday, June 1, 2026, Opara argued that the controversy surrounding Jonathan’s purported emergence as the candidate of the faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki remains unresolved because the former president has neither publicly endorsed the move nor demonstrated acceptance of the nomination.
According to Opara, the group claiming Jonathan as its presidential standard-bearer has failed to provide proof that the former president officially entered the race.
“They said they have given Jonathan an expression of interest form, but they did not show us where he signed it, where he attached his passport photograph,” Opara said.
He noted that despite the public claims made by the faction, Jonathan has not personally confirmed his participation in the presidential contest.
The lawyer maintained that Jonathan’s silence on the matter raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the faction’s decision to present him as its presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
Opara further suggested that the issue should not be considered a major factor in the evolving opposition landscape, arguing that attention should instead be focused on parties and candidates actively participating in the race.
His comments come amid continuing divisions within the PDP, where rival factions have laid claim to the party’s leadership structure and political direction ahead of the 2027 elections. While one faction has sought to project Jonathan as its candidate, the former president has yet to make any public declaration indicating a willingness to contest the presidency.
The uncertainty surrounding Jonathan’s position has fueled debate within political circles over whether the former president is genuinely interested in returning to active electoral politics or whether his name is being deployed as part of broader power struggles within the opposition party.