Presidency Reacts to Jonathan’s Rumoured 2027 Presidential Bid

The Presidency has responded to speculations surrounding former President Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged plan to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The reaction follows a statement by Prof. Jerry Gana, an elder statesman and PDP chieftain, who claimed that Jonathan would run for president in 2027 under the party’s banner.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said Jonathan’s eligibility remained a constitutional matter for the courts to decide, given that he had already been sworn in twice as president.

Onanuga, however, maintained that Jonathan’s administration left behind a legacy of economic decline, which Nigeria is still recovering from.

“As we begin the march towards the 2027 elections, prematurely foisted on the nation by the desperation of the opposition, we are once again regaled with a cacophony of voices,” the statement read.

The Presidency criticised Prof. Gana’s comments, describing them as “absurd” and warning Jonathan to be cautious of being lured into the race by PDP members pursuing personal, political, or ethnic interests.

“Jonathan reserves the right to run if he wishes, but he will have to face the courts to determine whether he is eligible for a third term.

He will also have to convince Nigerians that he has anything new to offer after his disastrous six years in office,” the statement added.

The Presidency further recalled that Jonathan inherited $66 billion in reserves and an Excess Crude Account of $20 billion in 2010, but left office in 2015 with less than $30 billion in reserves and only $2 billion in the account, despite record-high crude oil revenues.

It also accused his administration of mismanaging security funds and engaging in frivolous spending.

In contrast, Onanuga highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification, which he said had stabilised the naira, boosted investor confidence, and improved GDP growth.

“President Jonathan and others are welcome to the 2027 race. They broke the economy before, but Nigerians will not allow them to return to run it down again,” the statement concluded.