As political actors prematurely ignite the race toward the 2027 general elections, tensions are rising over attempts to draft former President Goodluck Jonathan back into the contest. The Presidency has reacted sharply to renewed calls from opposition elements, particularly the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), accusing them of seeking a comeback through sentiment rather than performance.
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A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, dismissed recent remarks by Professor Jerry Gana—former Minister of Information—who claimed Jonathan would run under the PDP and even defeat President Tinubu.
Onanuga described Gana’s comments as “absurd” and politically opportunistic, alleging that PDP stakeholders are attempting to lure Jonathan back into the arena to serve their “personal, political, religious, and ethnic agendas.” He argued that, just as in 2015, those urging Jonathan to run would likely abandon him once again.
While affirming Jonathan’s constitutional right to contest, Onanuga noted that any attempt to return to the presidency would face both legal scrutiny and public judgment over his past performance. He questioned whether the former president remains eligible after being sworn in twice and warned that Nigerians still remember the “dismal economic record” of his administration.
The statement catalogued several grievances against Jonathan’s tenure, accusing his government of fiscal recklessness, lack of economic direction, depletion of reserves, misuse of security funds, and enabling forex abuse. According to the Presidency, Jonathan inherited $66 billion in combined reserves and Excess Crude Account funds in 2010 but left less than $32 billion by 2015, despite enjoying oil prices averaging $100 per barrel.
Onanuga further alleged that by late 2014, the administration could not meet federal salary obligations, while many states struggled with wage arrears.
In contrast, the statement praised President Tinubu’s economic stewardship over the past 28 months, highlighting the removal of fuel subsidies, unification of exchange rates, renewed investor confidence, and improved GDP growth. It claimed that inflation has dropped to a three-year low, the naira has stabilised, and foreign reserves have climbed to over $42 billion.
The presidency also pointed to major infrastructure initiatives—such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway—and ongoing efforts to address insecurity, arguing that the current administration is “fixing what the PDP broke.”
Onanuga concluded that while Jonathan is free to enter the race if he chooses, Nigerians will not forget the hardship associated with his leadership. “They broke the economy before,” he wrote, “but millions of Nigerians will not allow them to return to run it down again.”
The statement underscores increasing political maneuvering ahead of 2027 and signals the Tinubu administration’s readiness to confront perceived threats early.
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