Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed confidence in the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates contesting the 2027 elections in Bayelsa East Senatorial District.
Jonathan spoke at his residence in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when a delegation led by former Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd.), visited him.
The delegation included the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, and the Bayelsa State APC Chairman, Hon. Warman Weri Ogoriba.
The visit was organised to formally introduce the APC candidates to Jonathan as a prominent leader from Bayelsa East Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While presenting the candidates, Jonah appealed to Jonathan and other stakeholders to support them, describing them as people with the capacity, experience and character required to provide effective representation.
He said the candidates, if elected, would protect the interests of their constituents and contribute to the development of their respective constituencies and Bayelsa State.
The candidates presented to Jonathan included Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, who is contesting for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District seat; Hon. Jonathan Robinson Obuebite, PhD, for the Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency; and Barr. Jude Amidator Rex-Ogbuku for the Ogbia Federal Constituency.
Also presented were APC candidates for various seats in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
They included Hon. Oteigbanyo George Braah for Nembe Constituency 1, Hon. Edward Brigidi Irigha for Nembe Constituency 2 and Hon. Alalibo West for Nembe Constituency 3.
Others were Hon. Daniel Charles for Brass Constituency 1, Hon. Timi Agala for Brass Constituency 2 and Rt. Hon. Abraham Ngobere for Brass Constituency 3.
The list also included Chief Ebiango Okoba Egain for Ogbia Constituency 1, Hon. Godknows Obein for Ogbia Constituency 2 and Chief Gabriel Michael Ogbara for Ogbia Constituency 3.
Jonathan acknowledged the quality of the candidates after they were presented to him, saying virtually all of them were people who could be trusted based on their capacity, performance and experience.
The former president subsequently gave the candidates his blessings and encouraged them to remain committed to serving the people if they secure victory at the polls.
Jonathan also advised the candidates to view politics as an opportunity to improve society rather than merely as a contest for political positions.
He urged them to use their positions, if elected, to attract meaningful development to their respective constituencies and contribute to the wider progress of Bayelsa State.
The former president further called on the candidates and other political stakeholders in the state to preserve peace, unity and cooperation.
He stressed that maintaining peace and oneness among the people remained important to the continued development of Bayelsa.
The former president has recently featured in political developments surrounding the 2027 presidential race. In August, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki submitted Jonathan’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate.
INEC, however, rejected the nomination, maintaining that candidate submissions must be made through its designated electronic platform.
INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said, “Submission is only done on a dedicated portal as stipulated by our regulations and guidelines please.”
The Turaki-led faction disputed INEC’s position, with its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, claiming that the faction was denied the access codes needed to complete the electronic submission.
“Notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes… we have successfully submitted, manually and in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the list of candidates sponsored by the authentic Peoples Democratic Party,” Ememobong said.