The Presidency has reacted to speculations of Goodluck Jonathan’s 2027 bid, with a cryptic reminder of his six-year rule and legacies left behind.
In a statement issued on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the Presidency dismissed the push by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, to draft Jonathan into the race on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party,PDP.
It argued that Jonathan’s return would reopen wounds from what it described as years of mismanagement and economic decline.
Jonathan, who governed Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, came to power after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later won election in 2011.
His tenure was marked by an initial period of high oil prices, with crude averaging $100 per barrel between 2010 and 2013.
Despite this, the Presidency said his administration squandered opportunities, depleted reserves, and left the country unable to meet basic financial obligations by 2014.
Data presented in the statement showed that in 2010 Jonathan inherited $66 billion, made up of $46 billion in foreign reserves and $20 billion in the Excess Crude Account. By 2015, foreign reserves had fallen below $30 billion while the Excess Crude Account had dropped to $2 billion.
The State House recalled that at least 28 states were owing workers’ salaries by the end of his tenure, while the Federal Government itself struggled to pay civil servants.
The Tinubu administration further highlighted allegations that Jonathan’s government oversaw the diversion of security funds under the supervision of his National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
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It added that foreign exchange allocations were abused by business moguls who pocketed funds without importing petroleum products.
Onanuga insisted that Jonathan’s legacy stands in contrast with President Tinubu’s economic reforms, which he said have stabilised the country in just over two years.
Citing recent indicators, he noted that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.23% in the second quarter of 2025, surpassing the International Monetary Fund’s projection of 3.4%. Inflation eased to 20.12% in August 2025, its lowest level in three years, while foreign reserves rose to $42.03 billion. The Naira, he added, had largely stabilised, restoring investor confidence.
The statement pointed to large-scale infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway, as evidence of Tinubu’s “bold reset” of the economy, alongside improved security interventions.
On the question of eligibility, the Presidency stressed that Jonathan’s right to contest is inalienable but left open the possibility of a legal challenge, noting that he had already been sworn in twice.
“President Jonathan and others are welcome to the 2027 race,” Onanuga wrote. “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.”
The speculation around Jonathan’s comeback has reignited debates about his legacy, constitutional eligibility, and the readiness of the PDP to mount a strong challenge against President Tinubu.
For many Nigerians, the 2027 contest may hinge not only on promises of reform but also on memories of past leadership.
Crediblenewsng.com
