Presidency: Jonathan free to contest 2027, but Nigerians remember his “dismal record”

The presidency says former President Goodluck Jonathan has every right to enter the 2027 presidential race, but warned that Nigerians will not overlook what it described as his poor record in office.

In a statement on Monday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, was reacting to remarks by former information minister Jerry Gana, who claimed Jonathan would return on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defeat Tinubu to reclaim power after 12 years.

‘Jonathan will be misled and abandoned’

Onanuga dismissed Gana’s comments as “absurd,” suggesting that PDP figures were only trying to use Jonathan for their own advantage.

“Politicians of Jerry Gana’s ilk merely want to lure him into the race to satisfy their personal, political, religious, and ethnic interests,” he said. “They will abandon him midstream, as they did in 2015, and leave Gentleman Jonathan in the lurch.”

While affirming Jonathan’s constitutional right to contest, Onanuga noted that the former president may have to defend his eligibility in court since he has 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.”

“Jonathan ran the economy aground”

Onanuga also launched a scathing critique of Jonathan’s six-year rule, accusing him of reckless governance that triggered Nigeria’s economic downturn.

“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.

According to him, Jonathan inherited $66 billion in reserves and excess crude account in 2010 but left less than $32 billion by 2015, despite benefiting from record oil revenues. By December 2014, he added, the administration struggled to pay federal salaries, while at least 28 states owed arrears.

Tinubu’s reforms “turned the corner”

Contrasting Jonathan’s record with Tinubu’s performance, Onanuga praised the president’s “bold reforms,” including fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and improvements 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.

‘Welcome to the race—if Nigerians agree’
Onanuga concluded that while Jonathan and other aspirants are free to contest in 2027, Nigerians will not easily forget what happened the last time he was in power.

“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.”