Claim
On June 8, Senator Ali Ndume asserted that “Jonathan had 22 governors then endorsing him, like was done now. And what happened? Jonathan lost woefully.”
Verdict
False. Fewer than 22 governors formally endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as the Peoples Democratic Party’s sole candidate for the 2015 election.
Background
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Endorsement meeting: In September 2014, sitting PDP governors met to name Jonathan their sole standard‑bearer for the 2015 presidential race.
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Attendance: Thirteen governors were present in person and three were represented by their deputies, bringing the total to 16 endorsements.
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Defections prior to endorsement: Between May and November 2013, a breakaway faction (nPDP) led by seven governors protested the party’s leadership and later merged with the newly‑formed APC; five of those governors ultimately joined the APC ahead of 2015.
What Went Wrong?
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Party fragmentation in 2013:
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In August 2013, seven PDP governors and former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar staged a walk‑out at the national convention, forming the nPDP.
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By November 2013, the nPDP faction merged into the APC, reducing PDP’s roster of sitting governors well before the endorsement.
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Endorsement roll‑call:
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Present in Abuja: Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Idris Wada (Kogi), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Theodore Orji (Abia), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Garba Umar (Taraba), plus the acting governors of Adamawa, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi (the latter four represented by deputies).
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Total: 13 governors + 3 deputies = 16 endorsements.
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Senator Ndume’s statement:
“Jonathan had 22 governors then endorsing him, like was done now. And what happened? Jonathan lost woefully.”
— Ali Ndume, June 8, 2025.-
This figure overlooks the 2013 defections and overstates the number of sitting PDP governors at the endorsement meeting.
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Why It Matters
Inflating the level of former support can mislead observers about how party machinery and elite backing translate into electoral outcomes. Accurate tallies of endorsements help clarify the disconnect between establishment endorsement and voter behavior.
Bottom Line
There were 16, not 22, PDP governors endorsing Goodluck Jonathan in September 2014. Senator Ndume’s claim inflates the endorsement count by including governors who had already left the party.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
