The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has a strong chance of returning to power in the 2027 general election if former President Goodluck Jonathan agrees to contest on the party’s platform.

Agbedi made the statement on Monday during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he discussed the PDP’s preparations for the next general election and the party’s ongoing internal challenges.

According to him, despite the leadership crisis and divisions within the PDP, the party remains one of Nigeria’s strongest political parties and still enjoys widespread support across the country. He expressed confidence that the PDP would be able to overcome its internal disagreements before the election.

Agbedi said Jonathan has not officially declared his intention to run for president, but he has also not ruled out the possibility of contesting in 2027. He believes Jonathan’s popularity, political experience and national appeal would give the PDP a major advantage if he eventually joins the race.

He also spoke about the leadership dispute within the party, noting that the court is yet to decide which faction has the legal right to present the PDP’s presidential candidate. Agbedi said he is confident the judgment will favour his faction, allowing the party to move forward with its plans.

He said, “If former President Goodluck Jonathan is on the ballot, the PDP will win in 2027. Although he has not said he will contest, he has also not said he will not. We are confident the court’s decision will go our way.”

Agbedi urged party members to remain united and focused, saying unity would be important if the PDP hopes to defeat its opponents in the next election. He stressed that resolving internal disputes quickly would strengthen the party ahead of the campaign season.

His comments come after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected Jonathan’s nomination for the 2027 election, which had been submitted by the Taminu Turaki-led faction of the PDP.

INEC explained that the nomination could not be accepted because it was not submitted through the commission’s official online nomination portal, as required by the Electoral Act and its guidelines. The commission maintained that all political parties must follow the approved procedure when submitting the names of their candidates for any election.

The developments have continued to fuel debate over Jonathan’s political future and the PDP’s strategy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, although the former president has yet to publicly announce whether he intends to seek another term in office.