The Presidency has declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan is free to contest the 2027 presidential election, but warned that Nigerians will not overlook what it described as his “dismal record in office.”
The response came on Monday through a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy.
Onanuga was reacting to remarks by Jerry Gana, former Minister of Information, who had claimed that Jonathan would run under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defeat Tinubu to reclaim power after 12 years.
Describing Gana’s claims as “absurd,” Onanuga said Jonathan risked being misled into the race only to be deserted by the same political figures who abandoned him in 2015.
“Politicians of Jerry Gana’s ilk merely want to lure him into the race to satisfy their personal, political, religious, and ethnic interests,” the statement reads.
“They will abandon him midstream, as they did in 2015, and leave Gentleman Jonathan in the lurch.”
While affirming Jonathan’s right to contest, the presidential aide stressed that questions of constitutional eligibility could arise since Jonathan had already been sworn in twice.
“President Jonathan reserves the right to run if he wishes. It is his inalienable right to contest the presidency again. President Tinubu will wholeheartedly welcome him if he decides to enter the race,” he said.
“But Jonathan will have his date in the court of the land. Indeed, the jury will determine whether Jonathan, who was sworn in twice as president, satisfies the constitutional requirements and is eligible to contest the presidency and be sworn in, if successful, for a third term in office.”
Onanuga accused Jonathan of wrecking the economy during his six years in office, insisting that Nigeria’s downturn began under his leadership.
“Let us remind ourselves about Jonathan’s record. We cannot forget in a hurry how his regime, devoid of any clear economic agenda, engaged in frivolous spending, ran the economy aground and put the country in dire straits,” he said.
“The Jonathan administration severely damaged the economy, and all key indicators declined under his watch.”
According to him, Jonathan inherited $66 billion in reserves and excess crude account in 2010 but left less than $32 billion by 2015, despite benefitting from record oil revenues. He added that by December 2014, the administration was unable to pay federal salaries while 28 states owed workers arrears.
Onanuga contrasted this with what he described as Tinubu’s “bold reforms,” pointing to the removal of fuel subsidy, unification of exchange rates, and recent growth in GDP and reserves.
“In plain language, the nation has turned the corner. And our people have started reaping the gains of the bold reforms instituted by the Tinubu administration,” he said.
“President Jonathan and others are welcome to the 2027 race. They broke the economy before, but millions of Nigerians who will not easily forget the recent past will not allow them to return to run it down again.”
