The Presidency has reacted sharply to moves by some opposition figures to draft former President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2027 presidential race, describing his administration as “a period of economic ruin” that Nigerians would not forget in a hurry.
In a statement issued on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the State House said Jonathan was free to contest but warned that his record in office would be a major obstacle.
Onanuga was responding to comments credited to former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, who declared that Jonathan would run on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and could defeat Tinubu.
“Prof. Gana is free to delude himself and engage in his usual comedy. But Jonathan should be wary of PDP sugar-coated cheerleaders who abandoned him in 2015 and will do so again,” Onanuga stated.
While acknowledging Jonathan’s constitutional right to seek office, the Presidency stressed that legal questions remain about his eligibility since he had already been sworn in twice. “The jury will determine whether Jonathan, who was sworn in twice as president, satisfies the constitutional requirements and can be sworn in for a third term,” the statement read.
The Presidency also catalogued what it described as the “dismal economic record” of Jonathan’s administration, citing depletion of reserves, unpaid salaries, and the alleged diversion of security funds. It contrasted that with Tinubu’s reforms, which it said had restored stability, boosted growth, and rebuilt investor confidence.
“In plain language, the nation has turned the corner. The PDP and Jerry Gana’s co-travellers broke the economy; President Tinubu is fixing it,” Onanuga said.
The statement concluded that while Jonathan and others were welcome to join the 2027 race, Nigerians “who will not easily forget the recent past” would resist any attempt to return the country to “economic mismanagement.”
