By Bonaventure Phillips Melah

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has announced waiver for former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, clearing the way for h as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The presidential screening committee made the announcement Tuesday evening at the River Meeting Hall of Transcorps Hilton, Abuja.

The waiver announcement was made by former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu in company of several committee members.

Although Jonathan has not formally declared intention to contest the election, insider sources said the former president has fulfilled all other conditions, including digital registration of membership as well as return of completed forms for contest.

By the announcement, Dr. Jonathan is now the only presidential aspirant under the PDP umbrella and therefore the party’s official candidate.

Details later…

Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of River State and Transportation minister under Buhari’s administration, has said he would defeat former vice president Atiku Abubakar in the presidential election primaries of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

He expressed confidence in his chances of securing ADC ticket ahead of the 2027 election, saying Atiku may no longer be electorally viable.

Speaking during an interview on Trust TV on Monday night, Amaechi said although Atiku had consistently won party primaries, he had failed to convert them into presidential victories.

“I listened when the former vice president said he never failed a primary before. I hope this will be the first time he will fail primary,” Amaechi said.

He added, “The issue is that at all times that you have passed primary, you have not won an election. So it’s about electability.”

Amaechi argued that his own candidacy would present a fresh option to voters because he had never previously contested a presidential election.

“I’ve never run. If nothing else, I can argue that I’ve never run any presidential election,” he said.

The former minister, however, praised both Atiku and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying they would govern Nigeria better than President Bola Tinubu if elected.

“If you give this country to Vice President Atiku to govern, I believe he would do well. Just as I think Governor Obi would do well. Honestly, both of them would do better than President Tinubu,” Amaechi said.

He also accused Tinubu of promoting ethnic considerations in governance, claiming the President was “tribalistic,” while contrasting his approach with that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he described as “a huge nationalist.”

The Nigerian Police has claimed that kidnappers who wrecked havoc in Oyo state by abducting children, teachers and one principal from three different schools, were aided by informants before, during and after the nefarious act.

The Fulani terrorist herders on Monday, beheaded one of their victims, a teacher named Michael.

The incidents took place at Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

According to Police, investigators have uncovered how suspected informants maintained communication with the abductors through telephone conversations.

The Oyo State Police Command disclosed that investigators traced the suspects through calls believed to have been exchanged with the bandits during and after the operation.

According to the police, the conversations contained details on how the criminals could successfully navigate routes within the National Park to hidden locations used as safe havens.

The development led to the arrest of no fewer than six suspects, who are currently in police custody and assisting security agencies with ongoing investigations into the gruesome incident.

Confirming the development on Tuesday morning, the State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the suspects were apprehended during coordinated security operations across different locations in the state.

“We have six suspects in custody and they are assisting the investigation,” Ayanlade said.