Pressure from northern opposition is growing on former President Goodluck Jonathan to consider a presidential run in 2027, though he remains silent amid legal and party-loyalty concerns and mixed reactions from political insiders.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has remained silent on speculation about his presidential ambitions, even as pressure grows from northern opposition actors urging him to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 race. The mounting calls echo similar dynamics seen ahead of the 2023 election, despite his non-participation in that contest .
Jonathan, who ascended to the presidency following the passing of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010, later won the 2011 election but lost to the APC-led coalition in 2015. His eligibility has previously come under scrutiny, and although a Federal High Court cleared him to contest in 2023, he chose not to run .
Observers remain divided on whether his return is wise or realistic. Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju believes Jonathan is not interested in contesting in 2027, while frontline lawyer Dele Farotimi argues that “some politicians are trying hard to rebrand Jonathan, who was voted out of office by Nigerians in 2015 for valid reasons” .
A PDP insider, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, acknowledged Jonathan’s party membership but observed that “he has not been funding the party, no moral support for about five years now,” and warned that “his candidacy could lead to litigation, a risk the PDP is not ready to take” .