By Augustine Akhilomen
With just one year and five months left for the commencement of the 2027 presidential election, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are already making frantic moves on how to convince former president Goodluck Jonathan to make a comeback and contest against incumbent president and the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for the seat of power in Aso Rock.
The move comes amid the party’s ongoing internal crisis and declining influence, especially following the defection of its 2019 and 2023 presidential flag bearer, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and many top members, to the opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Jonathan, who led Nigeria from 2010 to 2015 and conceded defeat to Muhammadu Buhari in the historic 2015 election, has largely stayed away from partisan politics since leaving office.
However, with the party zoning the presidential ticket to the Southern region, Thepledge learned that Jonathan has emerged as a top contender within PDP circles, as chieftains intensify efforts to bring him back into the fold.
Political observers say the zoning of the 2027 presidential ticket to the Southern region by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP was deliberate to clear the coast for Jonathan to contest the presidential ticket of the party.
His appeal, according to party insiders, lies in the constitutional term-limit clause, which provides that he can only serve one more term, a situation seen by many as a strategic route to balancing the power rotation debate between the North and South.
In 2023, a failed attempt was made to draft him into the race on the platform of the APC. But the former president has not publicly declined or accepted to contest, although there are reports that those close to him are regrouping and have held meetings.
Interestingly, Jonathan appears to have poured fuel on such reports and rumours after his recent meeting with Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election.
The former Anambra governor is also courted by the PDP leadership for him to return to the party ahead of 2027, but observers say the meeting could be part of a broader plan by the two political heavyweights to work together ahead of 2027.
Speaking at the meeting, Obi described Jonathan as his elder brother, a statesman, and a leader, adding that they had a fruitful meeting and discussed the state of the nation.
“In Abuja, I met with my very dear elder brother, statesman, and leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan. We had a fruitful closed-door meeting and discussed the state of our dear nation,” Obi wrote on his X page.
Speaking recently, a founding member of the PDP, Jerry Gana, said in an interview that Obi may be good, but that the PDP has somebody better. Observers say it is obvious the former minister was talking about Jonathan.
“In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate because our people are very fair-minded and just. We are reaching out to Peter Obi. Because I’m leading a search team, and there are many brilliant people. Peter may be good, but we have somebody better. So, we are searching,” Gana said.
Amid this renewed speculation over a possible presidential comeback, Jonathan last month (August) held a closed-door meeting with former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) at his Minna residence in Niger State.
Although the details of the meeting were not made public, sources familiar with the development said the discussion centered on political developments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a chat with Thepledge, a political analyst, Joe Adefarati, cautioned President Bola Tinubu against ignoring rising public discontent, warning that he could face a fate similar to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 electoral loss if urgent steps are not taken.
“Tinubu could be given the Jonathan treatment because Jonathan also had 22 governors who endorsed him, like we do now. And what happened? Jonathan lost woefully. We are not learning our lesson.
“I pity Mr. President. Even though he once said this is not the time for campaigns, look around; the campaigning has already started under the guise of endorsements.”
In the same vein, a political commentator, Alfred Ogundaisi, who spoke to Thepledge, also described Jonathan as the PDP’s strongest option for the 2027 presidential election, urging the party to make concerted efforts to bring him back.
“I think for PDP now they should try to woo Jonathan; he is their best bet. To me, he is their best bet. Anybody put forth by the PDP, Nigerians will support him.”
“It has gotten to a point where Nigerians are eager to vote for a good candidate like Jonathan if he decides to contest the 2027 election. I am very sure that APC will be scratching their feet because they won’t find it easy in 2027.”
As the clamour for Jonathan to enter the presidential race ahead of the general election continues. There are also concerns about his eligibility to contest the presidential poll, having been sworn in twice into office. Jonathan, who was vice president to the last Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, served as acting president for months due to Yar’Adua’s prolonged illness, which left him incapacitated. He was formally sworn in as substantive president in May 2010 following Yar’Adua’s death.
Reacting to the development, Monday Ubani, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), believes Jonathan was free to contest in 2027 because he was not barred by the existing law.
Ubani noted that Jonathan’s first swearing-in in 2010, following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, did not count as an elected term.
“It is not by election; it’s clearly by disposition of the law, complying with Section 146 of the 1999 Constitution,” Ubani said.
Ubani argued that Jonathan’s only legitimate electoral victory was in 2011. He reminded Nigerians that even before the constitutional amendment, the courts had already spoken.
“In 2015, when he wanted to re-contest, somebody went to court… and Justice Mudashiru ruled that the president then is eligible to run… The former oath that he took in 2010 was not by virtue of election but by virtue of succession,” he said.
Although some party elders privately believe that only Jonathan can bring sanity and bring good governance to Nigerians, Wike has openly advised him that he should resist the temptation to run against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“Anybody saying Jonathan should return because he will only do one term is only looking for a crisis. These are the same people who abandoned him in 2015. Why now? Jonathan has made a name for himself globally, and they just want to drag him into unnecessary conflict,” Wike said.
However, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has ruled out the possibility of any political figure, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, defeating Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“I see that some unscrupulous elements are trying to hoodwink former President Goodluck Jonathan to come into politics so they can destroy his reputation, which, after he left government, he has been building by becoming an international figure globally,” Bwala said.
“But if President Jonathan decides to run, let me tell you, I have seen the political climate in Nigeria today, and I will speak to facts, not conjecture. There is not a single politician that has the capacity to knock off President Bola Tinubu,” he declared.
For sure, Jonathan has a lot of political capital and appeal, both locally and on the global stage, how this would translate to votes is still yet to be seen. But there is no doubt that the Ijaw politician is perhaps the only politician that Aso rock is afraid of according to sources. But many Nigerians will be anxiously waiting to hear and know if the former President will yield to pressure and stake out his neck by joining the 2027 presidential race.