The Presidency has reacted to reports suggesting that former President Goodluck Jonathan may join the 2027 presidential contest, saying while he has every right to run, Nigerians will judge him by his past record in office.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Monday that Jonathan’s possible candidacy, reportedly being pushed by former Information Minister Professor Jerry Gana, would ultimately be subjected to legal and political scrutiny.
According to Onanuga, Professor Gana and other leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were attempting to lure Jonathan into the race for selfish political, religious, and ethnic interests. “They will abandon him midstream, as they did in 2015, and leave Gentleman Jonathan in the lurch,” he said.
While acknowledging Jonathan’s constitutional right to contest, Onanuga stressed that the courts would decide whether the former president, who was sworn in twice, remains eligible for another term.
He argued, however, that Nigerians have not forgotten what he described as the Jonathan administration’s “dismal record” between 2010 and 2015.
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He accused the former president of mismanaging oil revenues, depleting reserves, and presiding over corruption scandals, including the diversion of security funds.
“Jonathan inherited $66 billion in reserves and the Excess Crude Account in 2010. By 2015, reserves had dropped below $30 billion, while the Excess Crude Account was reduced to $2 billion despite record oil revenues,” Onanuga claimed.
In contrast, he highlighted President Tinubu’s economic reforms over the last 28 months, citing the removal of fuel subsidies, unification of exchange rates, and infrastructure investments. He said the economy had begun to recover, with GDP growth of 4.23 percent in Q2 2025, inflation declining to its lowest level in three years, and foreign reserves at $42.03 billion.
“The nation has turned the corner, and our people have started reaping the gains of the bold reforms instituted by the Tinubu administration,” Onanuga said.
He added that while Jonathan and the PDP are free to contest the 2027 election, Nigerians would not forget the economic downturn and governance failures of the past.
“President Jonathan and others are welcome to the 2027 race. They broke the economy before, but millions of Nigerians will not allow them to return to run it down again,” the statement concluded.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
