May 19, (THEWILL) — The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has waived screening requirements for former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the party’s presidential primary for the 2027 general elections.
Members of the presidential screening committee disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja during proceedings surrounding the screening exercise for aspirants under the faction’s ongoing preparations for the next electoral cycle.
The screening panel is chaired by former Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu and includes several senior party stakeholders tasked with overseeing the exercise.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president between 2010 and 2015, has continued to enjoy strong support across sections of the party and among political stakeholders who view him as a unifying national figure.
Although the former president has not publicly declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, the Turaki-led PDP faction had earlier adopted him as its sole presidential candidate and fixed a date for his screening.
The faction also constituted a high-level committee comprising former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, former Plateau State governor Jonah Jang, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Ikimi, among others, to oversee aspects of the screening process.
While party officials said the waiver reflects the confidence reposed in Jonathan’s integrity and political stature within the PDP fold, THEWILL reports that the waiver may not be unconnected to the non-appearance of the former president before the screening panel.
However, the Turaki-led faction is also conducting screenings for hundreds of aspirants seeking tickets into the Senate, House of Representatives, governorship, and State Houses of Assembly positions across the country.
According to party officials, the exercise forms part of the implementation of the PDP faction’s timetable and guidelines ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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