2027 Elections: Presidency Welcomes Jonathan but Labels His Tenure Wasteful and Corrupt
The Presidency has dismissed claims that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan will run against Tinubu in 2027.
Officials said Jonathan is free to contest but warned his past record would face tough scrutiny.
The Presidency has dismissed comments by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, suggesting that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan will contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement issued on Monday, September 29, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Jonathan is free to run if he chooses, but insisted that Nigerians will not forget what he described as the failures of Jonathan’s administration. He added that Jonathan’s eligibility could also face legal tests since he had already been sworn in twice.
Onanuga explained that Jonathan is constitutionally entitled to join the race, and President Tinubu would not oppose his decision to run. However, he warned that the former president’s record in office would be scrutinized both politically and legally.
The Presidency accused the PDP of attempting to use Jonathan’s name for political advantage, describing Gana’s assertion that he could defeat Tinubu in 2027 as unrealistic. The statement recalled that Jonathan’s tenure was marked by mismanagement, economic decline, and corruption. It cited the depletion of foreign reserves from $66 billion in 2010 to about $32 billion by 2015, despite high oil revenues, and noted that by late 2014, the federal government and many states struggled to pay salaries.
Onanuga also accused Jonathan’s government of diverting funds meant for security, alleging that his administration mishandled resources in the Excess Crude Account and distributed money meant for national defense to political allies.
By contrast, he said Tinubu’s government has introduced economic reforms that have stabilized the economy, including fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and policies that boosted investor confidence. He pointed to second-quarter GDP growth of 4.23 percent in 2025, inflation falling to a three-year low of 20.12 percent in August, and foreign reserves rising to $42.03 billion.
The statement further highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects and security operations, stressing that Nigerians are beginning to feel the positive impact of Tinubu’s policies.
Concluding, the Presidency said while Jonathan may contest, citizens would not want leaders who “once weakened the economy” to return to power.
Jonathan has not formally declared his intention to run, and his media team is yet to respond to the Presidency’s remarks.
