Just In: Tinubu Meets Jonathan at Presidential Villa Ahead of 2027 Election
- Former President Goodluck Jonathan held a private meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa at the weekend
- The visit came hours after INEC released the list of presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 elections
- Jonathan's name was absent from the INEC list, linked to the ongoing dispute between two rival PDP factions
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday, August 2, 2026, visited President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for a private meeting, the details of which have not been made public.
Legit.ng reports that the timing of the visit drew immediate attention, coming just hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the personal particulars of all presidential and National Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Source: Facebook
Jonathan's name missing from INEC list
Jonathan's name was conspicuously absent from the INEC release. The commission's continued recognition of the PDP faction loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, rather than the rival Kabiru Turaki PDP group, is understood to be the reason behind his exclusion from the published list.
The Wike and Turaki factions have been locked in a protracted dispute over the legitimate leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party. INEC's position on which faction holds official standing has direct consequences for candidates who sought to register under the Turaki group's platform, with Jonathan among those affected.
2027 election: High-stakes visit raises questions
The meeting between Jonathan and Tinubu comes at a politically charged moment, as the 2027 electoral process begins to take shape. The nature of their discussions remains undisclosed, but the proximity of the visit to the INEC list publication has fuelled speculation about the former president's political options going forward.
Jonathan, who governed Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, has not publicly addressed his absence from the INEC candidates list.
View a picture post on X about President Tinubu and Goodluck Jonathan's meeting below:
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Kenneth Okonkwo warns Jonathan
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Kenneth Okonkwo, a former chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), advised the PDP to allow Jonathan to enjoy his 'retirement from public office' in peace, rather than luring him into the 2027 race.
Okonkwo explained that rather than luring Jonathan into the 2027 election race, the cheerleaders should allow the former Nigerian leader to enjoy his credibility.
The former LP chieftain asked Jonathan to maintain his status as an “international statesman.”
Source: Legit.ng
