Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly been cleared to contest as the sole presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and backed by Seyi Makinde ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development follows the conclusion of a screening exercise conducted by the faction’s presidential screening committee, which reportedly approved Jonathan as the only candidate seeking the group’s presidential ticket.
According to reports, the screening process forms part of wider preparations by the Turaki-led PDP bloc as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The group is said to be positioning itself as a major force within the opposition party amid ongoing internal realignments.
Sources within the PDP disclosed that the committee comprised several influential party leaders and elder statesmen, including former Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, and PDP chieftain Bode George.
Jonathan’s clearance has sparked fresh political discussions across Nigeria, with many observers viewing the move as a possible attempt to present the former president as a consensus candidate capable of reuniting aggrieved factions within the PDP.
The former president, who served as Nigeria’s leader from 2010 to 2015, has remained relatively silent on active partisan politics since leaving office. However, his name has repeatedly surfaced in recent years whenever discussions about national unity, political stability, and experienced leadership arise.
