Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, has declared that Nigeria has suffered a steep decline under the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to field former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Speaking on Arise Television, Agbedi said Jonathan remains the party’s preferred choice despite not appearing on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) published list of presidential aspirants.
He insisted the former president’s omission from the list does not signal his withdrawal from the race, explaining that the PDP has adopted a special approach because Jonathan is a former elected president.
According to Agbedi, the party will unveil Jonathan at the appropriate time after resolving its ongoing leadership dispute, which is currently before the courts.
The lawmaker argued that the APC’s years in power have left Nigeria worse off economically, politically and in terms of security, claiming many Nigerians now regret voting the PDP out of office in 2015.
“Jonathan is a special candidate,” Agbedi said, adding that the former president’s post-office diplomatic engagements have broadened his experience and positioned him to restore Nigeria’s standing at home and abroad.
He dismissed suggestions that efforts to persuade Jonathan to contest could damage the former president’s image, saying it is common for political parties to draft respected leaders back into public service when national circumstances demand.
Agbedi expressed confidence that the PDP would overcome its internal leadership crisis through the courts and emerge united ahead of the 2027 elections, maintaining that Jonathan remains the party’s strongest option to reclaim power.