The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has not extended an invitation to former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the presidency on its platform in the 2027 election.

Speaking with BBC Hausa, Ibrahim Abdullahi, deputy spokesperson of the country’s main opposition party, said no ticket has been issued to the former president.

Abdullahi said the party has many eligible people who can contest for the presidency on its platform, adding that a recent interview he granted was interpreted to mean that Jonathan he asked to run on the PDP platform.

“The report that PDP has issued its presidential ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan or invited him to contest the 2027 presidential election is not true,” he said.

“What happened is this, I had an interview with a journalist where we discussed some issues.

“But in the course of the interview, he mentioned President Jonathan, asking about our opinion of him, because there are reports that he is being urged to run for the presidency.

“I responded by saying that he (Jonathan) is eligible to contest the election, because he is a Nigerian and has the right to do that by the provision of the law, and he still has one more term left.

“So, there is nothing wrong about him contesting the presidential election because he is eligible in the face of the law.”

The deputy spokesperson said the ticket would be given to someone who has shown interest in running for the presidency.

Jonathan, then in the PDP, lost the presidential election to former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

Ibrahim Kashim has resigned as secretary to the state government (SSG) Bauchi.

NAN reports that Mukhtar Gidado, media aide to Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, announced Kashim’s resignation in a statement on Friday.

Gidado said the Bauchi governor has accepted the resignation, adding that Aminu Gamawa, the chief of staff, will temporarily take up the role of acting SSG.

“Governor Bala Mohammed has accepted the resignation of the secretary to the state government, Mr. Ibrahim Kashim, with immediate effect,” the statement reads.

“The chief of staff, government house, Bauchi, Mr. Aminu Gamawa, has been directed to take over from him in an acting capacity.

“Governor Mohammed, on behalf of the government and the people of Bauchi state, thanked him for the services he rendered to the state and wished him well in his future endeavours.”

Kashim was appointed SSG in 2019, but he resigned during the build-up to the 2023 elections.

Bamidele Salam, chairman of the house of representatives committee on public accounts, has called for increased participation of Nigerian women in politics.

Speaking during the visit of Grace Ike, first female chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the federal capital territory (FCT), Salam said Nigeria needs to do better on the inclusivity front.

He said the country should emulate the likes of Rwanda, with 60 percent of members of parliament being women; and Kenya, with about 50 percent women in parliament.

Salam added that Nigeria should make deliberate efforts to ensure that more women participate in politics and governance. The legislator said merit and capacity to deliver are not exclusive to a particular gender.

In her remarks, Ike said her leadership is committed to strengthening the relationship between the media and the legislature.

She said the NUJ recognises the critical role that the house public accounts committee plays in ensuring that public funds are judiciously utilised.

“We believe that a strong and independent media is essential to a functioning democracy, and we are committed to playing our part in promoting good governance,” she said.