2027: Jonathan gets PDP waiver, emerges Turaki camp sole presidential candidate

May 20, 2026

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faction led by Kabiru Turaki, SAN, yesterday granted former President Goodluck Jonathan a waiver from its presidential screening process, ahead of the 2027 election, as party officials confirmed he was currently the party’s only presidential aspirant.

Former Niger State governor, Babangida Aliyu, who represented former Vice President Namadi Sambo, chairman of the screening committee, said the party saw no need to screen Jonathan, given the positions he had previously held.

Aliyu said: “The party had already given a presidential aspirant a waiver from screening. Like I said in the beginning, he was deputy governor, became governor, became vice president, became president, so we didn’t see anything that needed screening.