Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has cautioned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could face major setbacks in its 2027 presidential bid if it fields either former President Goodluck Jonathan or ex-Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, as its candidate. The PDP, however, swiftly dismissed Keyamo’s warning, insisting that the minister had no authority to dictate its choice of flagbearer. In a lengthy post on his X handle yesterday, Keyamo maintained that the opposition party remained in a “non-enviable position” following its failure to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the South—a decision he claimed weakened its support base in the South-South and South-East. He further argued that presenting Jonathan as candidate could trigger constitutional hurdles under Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which, according to him, may disqualify anyone who has already been sworn in twice as president. “If he is fielded, the party runs the risk of not having a candidate at all,” Keyamo wrote, warning that the Supreme Court would ultimately decide such a legal challenge. He stated further: “The constitutional amendment was made after the court judgment which cleared him (Jonathan) to run in 2015, so nothing is decided yet on that new amendment, hence I use the word ‘risk’ advisedly. ‘’All the arguments as to whether the section can be interpreted to affect him will not be decided on social media, but at the Supreme Court. “If he is barred from running after nominations have closed and the PDP is declared as having no candidate, nobody should scream ‘judiciary is corrupt’ because such a large party saw the judicial danger ahead and deliberately ignored it.” He added that the party would bear responsibility if it ignored the legal risk and lost its candidacy after nominations closed. “All the arguments … will not be decided on social media, but at the Supreme Court,” he said. He also dismissed the likelihood of a successful South-West flagbearer for the PDP, saying “if the PDP decides to field its most attractive S/West candidate, no other region of the country will vote for a fresh Yoruba candidate who would be eligible for a fresh two terms in office. “That candidate will battle with the well-oiled APC structures in the S/West. You need a majority of at least three to four regions in Nigeria to win the Presidency.” On Peter Obi, the minister said bringing the former Labour Party candidate into the PDP fold would not solve the party’s problems. He suggested doubts about Obi’s credibility, adding that his past one-term pledge could dilute support among his core followers. “The principled ones among the ‘obidients’ will see him as going back to his vomit … and may not be too vociferous in their support anymore,” Keyamo wrote. Concluding his assessment, the minister blamed the PDP’s current predicament on what he called its “original sin” of not zoning the 2023 ticket to the South. He added: “The young social media warriors may lampoon anyone talking about these zoning sentiments, but that is the reality of our politics.” He said unless “something extraordinary’ happens, the party might have to wait till 2031.