Ayodele Olalere
The rumoured return of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election seems to have thrown the political circle into anxiety as the two major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, expresses divergent opinions on the chances of the former president winning the election if he contests.
While the PDP has thrown its weight behind the call for former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the presidential race for 2027 and expressed confidence he will win, the APC is of the believe that he can not upstage the incumbent President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Though ousted in 2015 as President by the APC, sources within the political cycle is of the view that the call for Jonathan’s return is based on the need for the replacement of the “disastrous ” Tinubu government as result of his bad economic policy which has thrown Nigerians into abject poverty.
Sources noted that Nigeria witnessed economic prosperity during the administration of the former president and with Tinubu’s government not able to improve the economy since he came into power in 2023, bringing back Jonathan would stabilised the economy.
The northern political elites, according to the source, are also not comfortable with the style of government of Tinubu which has not favoured them in terms of political appointments and economic consideration.
It noted that during Jonathan’s administration, he built schools for the almajiris, gave juice positions to the north and embarked on the agricultural revolution among other achievements which benefited the north.
Therefore, for the north to be sure of getting the power back in 2031, Jonathan is also considered the real deal as a result of his known inability to run for two terms if he becomes President in 2017, having ruled for four years during his first tenure.
This, the source said, has made Jonathan the most preferred option among the caucuses and the northern oligarchy who are rooting for his return.
“Consequently, that is where Jonathan comes into the picture. Jonathan can only do a constitutional four years as president, having done the first four years earlier. So, he won’t pose a problem in 2031 when the north wants to regain power.
“In fact, he will be instrumental to helping the north to regain power at the appointed time, the source said.
That the north is poised to support Jonathan’s candidacy was recently echoed by the governor of Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, who served as Minister under Jonathan.
While speaking at an event, Bala said the north would support Jonathan if he decides to run for presidency in 2027.
“I know there are good leaders within the PDP especially my boss Goodluck Jonathan. With regard to your call for
to present myself, I am still contemplating my chances as the leader of the opposition.
“I have always said that as long as Jonathan is around, I will not present myself for leadership of this country,
unless he decides not to run. He will do a better job because he has the experience. We know the prices of things; we know the level of inflation.
“During Jonathan’s regime, he was inclusive.addressing issues like the Almajiri system and creating initiatives for unemployed youths. His leadership recruitment was exemplary. We need
leaders like him, young people with energy, foresight and drive. If we can persuade him to come forward, I will support him with my blood,” he said.
Lending his voice to the rumoured return of Jonathan as president in 2027, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the opposition party would give Jonathan the needed support to win if he contests.
He described Jonathan as ‘a unifier’ who can unify the country politically and economically saying his record during first places him in good stead to upstage President Tinubu in 2027.
“We are absolutely in support of the position of the Bauchi State governor. Don’t forget, he was a prominent member of Jonathan’s administration where he was a minister. As the chairman of the 13 governors of the PDP, a two-term minister, former senator and a two-term governor rounding off his second term, you will expect him to understand and appreciate the situation of where this country is coming from, where it is at the moment and where we hope to take it to in the future,” he said.
He added: “If you are talking about a southern Presidency in 2027, we should be looking at one who has enjoyed one term and will probably give Nigerians hope and prosperity as opposed to the one we have in power. Secondly, if you are also talking about a nationalist, somebody who would not rig an election to keep himself in office, who announced before the counting process was over, that he lost, it has to be Jonathan.
“You remember that he called the victor, congratulated him and asked him to send people for the transition process. So, it is this kind of person with a listening ear that we believe can save the situation. No President in Nigerian history has been as criticised as Ebele Jonathan. We tolerated all sorts of insults targeted at us and his Presidency. But today, he is the one everybody is looking for with torchlight, even in broad daylight.”
He said Jonathan as ‘a nationalist will
“be able to salvage the current economic situation.’
He also pointed to the stabilization of the forex and single digit inflation under Jonathan as reference points to his ability to turn around the country’s economy.
However, in spite of the rumoured return of Jonathan as president, the ruling APC says it’s not deterred, adding that while it’s too early for any party to be talking about 2027, the ruling party knows what to do to win the election.
“For us to start talking about 2027 is not only premature, but a calculation that is doomed. Less than 40 per cent of the mandate given to the President under the APC has not even been consumed. There is just no way the APC as a party will be jittery, if at all, there is such a plan to enroll former President Goodluck Jonathan into the race,” said National Director of Publicity for APC, Bala Ibrahim.
He added: “The APC defeated him when he was in power. Defeating him when he’s out of power will be a walkover. It is something that cannot even give the party a sleepless night. So, whoever is making this permutation, if the intention is to scare the APC as a party, I think he needs to go back to the drawing board and think again. We are not worried.But we will do things when it is time for them to be done,”
