KEY POINTS

• A PDP faction backed by Seyi Makinde has adopted former President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole 2027 presidential candidate.
• The faction says Jonathan was granted a waiver and did not require screening due to his extensive political experience.
• The group insists it will participate in the 2027 elections, screening other governorship aspirants under its parallel leadership structure.

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has formally announced former President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The declaration was made during a presidential screening exercise held in Abuja, where party chieftains confirmed that Jonathan would not be required to undergo the usual screening process.

According to Babangida Aliyu, a former governor of Niger State and member of the faction’s presidential screening committee, Jonathan was granted a waiver based on his extensive political experience and previous service at the highest levels of government.

Aliyu explained that Jonathan’s political trajectory, from deputy governor to governor, vice president, and ultimately president, made further screening unnecessary. As a result, the committee reportedly concluded that he was already qualified and effectively cleared to fly the party’s flag for the election.

Party says Jonathan’s past offices make screening unnecessary

The faction justified its decision by pointing to Jonathan’s long political career and national leadership experience within the PDP structure.

He previously served as deputy governor and governor of Bayelsa State, became vice president in 2007 under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and assumed the presidency in 2010 following Yar’Adua’s illness and subsequent death. He later won the 2011 presidential election before losing re-election in 2015 to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Party leaders argued that this record places Jonathan in a unique category of Nigerian politicians whose credentials do not require additional vetting.

Aliyu stated that the committee saw no need to “screen what is already established,” stressing that the waiver effectively served as both clearance and endorsement. The faction also suggested that Jonathan’s acceptance reflected internal confidence in his national appeal and political legacy, despite his absence from active partisan politics in recent years.

The Makinde-backed PDP bloc used the occasion to reaffirm its determination to participate fully in the 2027 general elections, despite ongoing internal party divisions and competing factions. Officials of the group maintained that their activities—including parallel screenings for governorship aspirants—were part of efforts to reposition the PDP for electoral competitiveness.

Alongside Jonathan’s adoption, several governorship aspirants from different states were screened, while some, such as Taofeek Arapaja in Oyo State, also received waivers. The faction emphasized unity and resilience, insisting that attempts to weaken the party from within would not succeed. It also expressed optimism that it would present a strong electoral front in 2027, with Kabiru Turaki—who served in Jonathan’s administration—playing a key role in the faction’s leadership structure.