By Aisha Muhammad Magaji
Nigeria’s political scene is heating up as reports emerge that former President Goodluck Jonathan may be drafted into the 2027 presidential race by his allies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Presidency has responded sharply, warning that Nigerians will not forget what it described as Jonathan’s “dismal record in office.”
In a statement issued on September 29, 2025, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, accused Jonathan’s administration of “breaking the economy” through mismanagement, corruption, and lack of vision.
The statement singled out Prof. Jerry Gana, former Minister of Information, who recently suggested Jonathan could return to power and defeat Tinubu. Onanuga dismissed Gana’s remarks as “absurd” and “delusional,” claiming the PDP had left behind “a legacy of economic ruins after 16 years of bad governance.”
“Jonathan will have his encounter with the people as to whether he has anything new to offer after his disastrous six years, for which they voted him out in 2015,” Onanuga declared.
The Presidency listed a series of economic failures, including the depletion of Nigeria’s foreign reserves from $66 billion in 2010 to below $30 billion by 2015, despite record-high oil prices averaging $100 per barrel between 2010 and 2013.
“By December 2014, the Jonathan-led government could no longer pay salaries to Federal Civil Servants. At least 28 states owed workers huge salary arrears,” the statement noted.
Onanuga also recalled controversies that dogged Jonathan’s government, including the fuel subsidy fraud, where billions of dollars allegedly went to politically connected businessmen who pocketed foreign exchange allocations without importing petroleum products.
“Some of those big men still have court cases on the issue today,” he stressed.
The statement further accused Jonathan and his former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), of mismanaging security funds, distributing them “freely to friends and cronies” while insurgency and insecurity worsened across the country.
By contrast, Onanuga highlighted Tinubu’s economic reforms as evidence of Nigeria’s recovery.
“In slightly over two years, President Tinubu has stabilised the economy, removing the ruinous fuel subsidy and abolishing multiple exchange rates, which paved the way for arbitrage to flourish,” the statement said.
Citing official data, the Presidency pointed out that Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.23% in Q2 2025, inflation dropped to 20.12% in August (the lowest in three years), and foreign reserves rose to $42.03 billion. The naira, it added, had “virtually stabilised,” while investor confidence was improving.
“Road infrastructure is being boosted. Old roads are being reconstructed while new ones, like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, are springing up. The government is also addressing security issues in some parts of the country,” Onanuga said.
The Presidency acknowledged Jonathan’s constitutional right to contest but suggested legal hurdles may complicate his return.
“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,” the statement read.
The statement has triggered mixed reactions across the country.
One commentator on X (formerly Twitter) wrote: “The only reason they want GEJ is they want someone that if APC rig, he will say ‘no blood of Nigerians worth my ambition.’ The wayo no go work. APC rig 2027, Nigeria will experience Nepal pro max. GEJ will not contest.”
Others expressed frustration with both past and present governments. “Let’s join forces to call out bad governance regardless of political sentiment. It may be the only action that may save someone’s life,”another user said, pointing to ongoing insecurity that affects Nigerians across political divides.
Analysts suggest that the Presidency’s sharp tone indicates it is preparing early for the 2027 contest. Dr. Olusola Omotayo, a political scientist at the University of Lagos, told reporters: “Bringing Jonathan back into the picture plays into a larger narrative of recycled leadership. What is more important is whether either Jonathan or Tinubu can truly address the structural problems that fuel poverty, insecurity, and corruption.”
While Jonathan has yet to publicly declare his interest, PDP insiders are reportedly weighing his candidacy as a potential unifying figure. The Presidency, however, insists Nigerians will not allow “the architects of economic ruin” to return.
“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 run it down again,” Onanuga concluded.
As the political season begins to take shape, Nigerians remain focused on one question: which leader past or present can finally deliver on the promise of good governance and security?
