A political tremor rippled through Nigeria’s power corridors after Professor Jerry Gana, elder statesman and former Minister of Information, declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan would contest the 2027 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking to journalists shortly after participating in the PDP state congress in Minna, Gana stated with confidence that Nigerians were clamouring for Jonathan’s return, describing him as a “trusted leader with a proven record of people-oriented governance.”
“I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the 2027 presidential election as PDP candidate, and you will vote for him to return as president again,” Gana said.
He cited Jonathan’s peaceful handover in 2015 as an act of national sacrifice, arguing that subsequent administrations had failed to measure up.
“Nigerians have seen the difference, and the difference is very clear. They are now asking us to bring back our friend, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,” Gana declared.
The veteran politician also dismissed rumours of a divided PDP, asserting that the party remains strong, grassroots-driven, and ready to reclaim power.
“When there was a near crisis, the founding fathers convened a consultative conference in Abuja and addressed all the issues at that time. PDP is truly democratic, and that is why the people still love the party,” he added.
But it wasn’t just the PDP’s internal unity or Jonathan’s possible comeback that stirred national attention—it was the speed and sharpness of the presidential response.
Aso Rock Fires Back: “Jonathan Era Was Economic Ruin”
Everyday.ng reports that barely two days after Gana’s statement went public, the presidency issued a fiery rebuttal. In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the presidency dismissed any notion of Jonathan’s return as a viable alternative.
“Jonathan is welcome to the race if he wishes. But Nigerians will remember his dismal record in office,” Onanuga said, branding the former president’s tenure as a “disastrous six years” marked by “economic ruin.”
Onanuga labeled Gana’s optimism “a comedic delusion,” warning Jonathan not to fall for the flattery of PDP “sugar-coated cheerleaders” who, he said, “abandoned him in 2015 and could do so again.”
The statement went further to raise constitutional concerns about Jonathan’s eligibility, noting he had been sworn in twice—first in 2010 following President Yar’Adua’s death, and again in 2011 after winning the general election. Onanuga hinted this could become a matter for judicial interpretation if Jonathan formally declares his candidacy.
Dueling Legacies: Jonathan vs Tinubu
The presidency used the occasion to juxtapose the alleged failures of the Jonathan administration with what it described as the economic achievements of President Tinubu’s government:
Jonathan-era Critiques:
• Mismanagement of oil wealth during the boom years (average $100/barrel oil prices from 2010–2013).
• Foreign reserves dropped from $66 billion to under $30 billion.
• Federal government struggled to pay salaries by 2015.
• Security funds allegedly looted under NSA Sambo Dasuki.
• Rampant fuel import fraud and forex abuses.
Tinubu-era Claims:
• Removal of fuel subsidy and FX rate unification.
• GDP growth of 4.23% in Q2 2025 – the highest in four years.
• Inflation dropped to 20.12% in August 2025, the lowest in three years.
• Foreign reserves now at $42.03 billion.
• Infrastructure strides: Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry highways.
• Renewed investor confidence and macroeconomic stability.
Onanuga’s tone mixed sarcasm with warning:
“They broke the economy. President Tinubu is fixing it. Nigerians… will not allow them to return and run it down again.”
The Political Undercurrent
Gana’s announcement is likely to reframe Nigeria’s 2027 electoral discourse, injecting new energy—and controversy—into the opposition’s strategy. Whether Jonathan will publicly confirm the ambition remains to be seen, but the presidency’s unusually swift response suggests they are not taking the possibility lightly.
As the battle lines begin to form, one thing is clear: the road to 2027 has officially begun, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
