By Sodiq Adelakun
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been cleared by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to participate in the party’s presidential primary ahead of the 2027 general election.
The clearance followed the approval of a waiver granted to Jonathan by the PDP screening committee during a screening exercise held in Abuja on Tuesday.
A member of the presidential and governorship screening committee under the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led PDP National Working Committee, Babangida Aliyu, confirmed the development shortly after the exercise.
Jonathan’s clearance comes amid growing political permutations ahead of the 2027 presidential race and days after reports emerged that some PDP stakeholders loyal to Seyi Makinde had backed the former president’s possible return to the contest.
The former president had earlier been expected to submit his nomination form on Monday but did not appear before the screening panel at the scheduled time, raising questions within party circles over his participation in the process.
However, Tuesday’s decision by the screening committee appears to have settled uncertainty surrounding his eligibility within the party.
The waiver granted to Jonathan is believed to be tied to internal party requirements relating to nomination procedures and participation in the primary process.
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The development also comes barely days after Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit challenging the former president’s eligibility to contest the 2027 election.
Jonathan, who first assumed office in 2010 following the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, later won the 2011 presidential election and served until 2015.
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