Political tension is already bubbling ahead of 2027, but according to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Austin Okai, the game plan is simple — and former President Goodluck Jonathan isn’t part of it.
Okai, who contested for the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency seat in 2023, says President Bola Tinubu will be near impossible to beat unless the entire opposition unites behind a single candidate. Anything else, he warns, is “a waste of time.”
Speaking bluntly in an interview, Okai poured cold water on speculation of a Jonathan comeback.
“This is not about whether Jonathan wants to run. Elections are about structures, and the PDP, as it stands, has none that can deliver victory in 2027,” he said. “The party is infiltrated. Many PDP big names are on APC’s payroll. Who exactly will work for Jonathan?”
He claims only Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed openly supports Jonathan — and that’s not enough to build a winning coalition.
Okai argues that the North is fragmented and unreliable when it comes to political promises, noting that “voices change” once election money starts circulating.
When pressed about other opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, Okai said unless they adopt the 2014 APC strategy — forming one powerful front against the incumbent — Tinubu will coast to victory.
He dismissed the idea of sidelining Atiku, insisting that “election is competition” and nobody should be stopped from exercising their constitutional right to run.
Okai also took aim at the government’s treatment of journalists and activists, urging respect for press freedom and warning against hiding behind the cybercrime act to muzzle dissent.
His message to Jonathan? Stay out, protect your legacy, and don’t walk into a fight with no weapons.
