A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has announced former President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Babangida Aliyu, a member of the faction’s presidential screening committee, during the screening exercise held in Abuja. Aliyu, a former governor of Niger State, said Jonathan was granted a waiver from appearing before the committee due to his extensive experience in public office, which he said made further screening unnecessary.
According to Aliyu, Jonathan’s past political roles — from deputy governor to governor, vice president, and eventually president — automatically qualified him for the party’s presidential ticket. He stated that the party had already cleared and declared him as its candidate following the waiver decision. Mr Jonathan, who governed Nigeria from 2010 to 2015 under the PDP, previously served as deputy governor and later governor of Bayelsa State after the impeachment of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. He later became vice president in 2007 under the administration of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and assumed the role of acting president in 2010 before being sworn in as substantive president following Yar’Adua’s death.
He went on to win the 2011 presidential election but lost his re-election bid in 2015 to Muhammadu Buhari, marking the first time an incumbent Nigerian president lost a general election. His concession speech and peaceful handover of power were widely praised both locally and internationally. Since leaving office, Jonathan has largely served as an international statesman, participating in election monitoring and mediation efforts across Africa. Despite repeated calls from political groups urging him to return to active politics, he has not officially declared interest in contesting future elections.
The emergence of Jonathan as the faction’s sole candidate has also drawn attention to Kabiru Turaki, the faction’s interim national chairman and a former minister during Jonathan’s administration, who is regarded as one of his close political allies. Jonathan has not publicly reacted to the announcement or confirmed any intention to run, though observers suggest he may still be consulting before making a final decision on his political future. Meanwhile, Makinde has recently declared his intention to run for president on the PDP–APM alliance ticket as he approaches the end of his second term as governor.
In Abuja, governorship aspirants aligned with the faction were also screened, with some receiving waivers from the process. The exercise included candidates from several states across the country, such as Adamawa, Taraba, Delta, Yobe, Plateau, Kano, Nasarawa, Kebbi, and Akwa Ibom. Aliyu assured that the faction remains committed to contesting the 2027 general elections, insisting that internal challenges within the party would not prevent its participation.
Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/
