Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been cleared by the screening committee of the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party as its presidential aspirant ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the faction, led by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Jonathan emerged as their presidential candidate after the screening committee gave him a waiver.
Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu delivered the decision on behalf of the screening committee at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, where other contestants were also screened.
In a video posted by AIT on Tuesday, Aliyu said that the party chose to offer Jonathan a waiver based on his political record as deputy governor to president.
“As you know, the party has already given the presidential aspirant a waiver. Like I said, he was deputy governor, became governor, became vice president, and became president.
“We didn’t see anything that needed screening, and, therefore, the party has given him a waiver.
“In other words, he has been declared and cleared as a candidate of the PDP for the presidential election. And that is President Jonathan.
“The other waiver is also for the former deputy governor and ambassador, Taofeek Arapaja, who for many reasons has to be in Ibadan, Oyo State. We also declared he has been given a waiver by the party,” he said.
The PDP faction on Tuesday commenced its nationwide screening of aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement sent on its official X Twitter, the party stated that senators, House of Representatives, and state assembly candidates were being screened at designated centers across the country.
It noted that presidential and governorship candidates were being screened at the national level in Abuja.
