By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been cleared by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the party reportedly waived the screening process for him ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The PDP faction led by Tanimu Turaki conducted its screening exercise in Abuja on Tuesday, with Jonathan emerging as the party’s sole presidential aspirant.
Party officials said the former president was granted a waiver because of his extensive political experience, having previously served as deputy governor, governor, vice president and president of Nigeria.
Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, who represented former Vice President Namadi Sambo at the exercise, said the committee found no reason to subject Jonathan to further scrutiny.
According to Aliyu, Jonathan’s previous service in top public offices was enough basis for the waiver granted by the party.
The screening exercise was part of a wider nationwide process involving thousands of aspirants seeking various elective positions under the PDP platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reports said the presidential screening committee included prominent party figures such as former Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang and ex-Foreign Affairs Minister Tom Ikimi.
The development has intensified political discussions over Jonathan’s possible return to active partisan politics more than a decade after leaving office in 2015.
Questions have also emerged over his constitutional eligibility to contest again, following arguments surrounding the number of times he had taken the presidential oath of office.
