The Presidency has argued that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s record in office would be a major obstacle should he decide to contest the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement issued Monday in Abuja, Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga dismissed recent claims by former Information Minister Jerry Gana that Jonathan would run under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Onanuga described the suggestion as “delusional,” insisting that Nigerians would not forget what he called Jonathan’s “disastrous” tenure.
“The march towards the 2027 elections is being prematurely foisted on the nation by a desperate opposition ganging up against President Bola Tinubu despite his evident economic strides,” Onanuga said.
He noted that Jonathan could also face constitutional challenges, given that he had already been sworn in twice as president. According to him, only the courts could decide whether Jonathan would be eligible to run.
Onanuga further warned Jonathan not to be swayed by “sugar-coated” promises from PDP loyalists, claiming they would likely abandon him mid-race, as in 2015.
While acknowledging Jonathan’s constitutional right to contest, the Presidency stressed that Tinubu was prepared for any challenge and confident that Nigerians would reject a return to the past.
The statement painted a grim picture of Jonathan’s administration, accusing it of economic mismanagement, corruption, and weak governance. Onanuga said Jonathan inherited $66 billion in reserves and excess crude savings in 2010 but left office in 2015 with reserves below $30 billion and the Excess Crude Account nearly depleted. He also alleged that despite oil selling at an average of $100 per barrel during much of Jonathan’s tenure, the federal government and many states struggled to pay workers by late 2014.
In contrast, Onanuga credited President Tinubu with stabilising the economy in just over two years, citing a 4.23% GDP growth in Q2 2025, inflation dropping to 20.12% in August 2025, foreign reserves rising to $42.03 billion, and renewed investor confidence. He also highlighted Tinubu’s infrastructure projects and ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity.
“President Jonathan and others are welcome to join the 2027 race,” Onanuga concluded. “But Nigerians, who vividly remember how the economy was broken before, will not allow a return to the past.”