By Peter Dansu Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has turned down mounting appeals from political allies urging him to contest the 2...
By Peter Dansu
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has turned down mounting appeals from political allies urging him to contest the 2027 presidential election against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to The Nation newspaper, Close associates revealed that Jonathan, whose Abuja residence has in recent weeks become a meeting point for politicians lobbying him to return, has made it clear he will not re-enter partisan contests.
“He will not accept the entreaties because he believes the motive is selfish,” a source familiar with his position said, adding that Jonathan views the pressure as an attempt to weaken Southern unity ahead of 2027.
According to insiders, Jonathan insists he has played his part in Nigeria’s leadership and will not allow himself to be drawn into schemes that could derail the South’s chance to complete its eight-year cycle in power before it shifts back to the North.
Although the former President has not made any public declaration, visitors to his home say he repeatedly tells them he is done with presidential contests. “He is determined to let others play their own roles,” another source said.
Hints of Jonathan’s position first emerged in May when his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, disclosed that her husband would rather support President Tinubu’s re-election. She recalled Tinubu’s support during Jonathan’s 2011 campaign, stressing that it was now time to reciprocate. She also pledged her backing for First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative.
Still, calls for Jonathan’s return have grown louder, especially after indications that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might zone its presidential ticket to the South. Some within the party, seeking a candidate who could serve only one term, believe Jonathan fits the bill.
Among the loudest voices is former Jigawa State Governor and PDP stalwart, Sule Lamido, who recently described Jonathan as “the party’s best bet” during a televised interview.
However, beyond Jonathan’s personal reluctance, the law also poses a hurdle. Constitutional amendments to Sections 137 (3) and 182 (3) of the 1999 Constitution bar anyone who has twice taken the presidential oath from seeking the office again. Jonathan, having completed the tenure of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010 and later won his own term in 2011, falls under that restriction.
With these legal and personal convictions, Jonathan is said to have firmly rejected all calls to challenge Tinubu in 2027, choosing instead to maintain his role as an elder statesman.
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