Former President Goodluck Jonathan is emerging as a potential top challenger to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, according to a close ally of the Bayelsa-born leader.
Speaking to Vanguard on Wednesday, the ally, who is also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), revealed that advanced efforts are underway to draft Jonathan into the race on the PDP platform, with the former president reportedly accepting the proposal.
According to the source, Jonathan’s return is being driven by a group of influential political elders and leaders who believe he can help reverse the deepening poverty, economic hardship, and social instability currently plaguing Nigeria.
The move is also seen as a strategy to stabilize the country’s political trajectory and economy.
Elders Push for One-Term Presidency
The plan is reportedly backed by the argument that Jonathan, having already served one full term, would be constitutionally limited to a single four-year tenure if elected in 2027—creating a smoother pathway for power to return to the North in 2031 without major regional friction.
The source noted that a coalition of Northern and Southern leaders had begun lobbying Jonathan to return, believing his previous six-year tenure brought stability and relative economic growth to the nation.
Quiet Consultations with Northern Leaders
As part of ongoing consultations, Jonathan is said to have recently met with former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), in Minna, Niger State, to discuss the 2027 bid. Although the outcome of that meeting remains unclear, Jonathan’s ally said the engagement was aimed at securing Northern support for his candidacy.
Simultaneously, Jonathan is holding meetings across the South-South with key stakeholders to consolidate his regional base. Sources indicated that meetings were held in Port Harcourt earlier this week, though specific details were undisclosed.
PDP Courts Jonathan Aggressively
The PDP has ramped up efforts to convince Jonathan to formally rejoin the party’s presidential race. Sources told the BBC Hausa Service that some PDP governors and senior figures are actively backing the move.
Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, confirmed the development, stating that Nigerians had begun to acknowledge the value of Jonathan’s past leadership. “Many Nigerians now recognise that they made a mistake by not re-electing Jonathan in 2015,” Abdullahi said. “They are pleading with him to return and help rescue the country.”
He further noted that Jonathan remained a card-carrying member of the PDP, and the party had no reason not to approach him. “He’s a compassionate leader. As a party that listens to the voice of the people, we are acting accordingly,” Abdullahi said.
Reports also indicate that a delegation of top PDP officials travelled to The Gambia recently to meet Jonathan and urge him to accept the party’s ticket.
Jonathan Sets Conditions for Candidacy
According to Abdullahi, Jonathan has expressed interest but set some conditions. Chief among them is clarity on whether he would participate in the PDP primaries or be offered the presidential ticket outright, and whether the party genuinely believes in his leadership ability.
“He is in consultations with his inner circle and is seriously considering the proposal,” Abdullahi added.
PDP Official: Jonathan Deserves Automatic Ticket
In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, PDP National Financial Secretary Daniel Woyengikuro described Jonathan as the party’s current national leader, second only to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in stature.
“Who else fits the bill right now? Jonathan is the party’s leader and a symbol of unity and competence,” Woyengikuro said. “If he accepts to run, I fully support giving him an automatic ticket.”
Woyengikuro also mentioned Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as another key figure for the future, praising his performance and leadership in the South-West.
Legal Questions Over Jonathan’s Eligibility
However, the push for Jonathan’s candidacy has reignited legal debates over his eligibility. A 2018 constitutional amendment (the Fourth Alteration Act) bars anyone who has been sworn in twice as president or governor from seeking the office again.
Section 137(3) of the Nigerian Constitution states:“A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as President shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”
This would appear to affect Jonathan, who was first sworn in in 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and then elected in 2011.
However, in 2022, a Federal High Court in Yenagoa ruled that the amendment could not be applied retroactively to Jonathan. Justice Isa Hamma Dashen ruled that since the law took effect on June 8, 2018—after Jonathan had already left office—it could not disqualify him from contesting.
The suit was brought by two APC members, Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham, who argued that Jonathan had already taken the presidential oath twice. But the court held that Jonathan’s first oath in 2010 was in line with constitutional provisions due to Yar’Adua’s death and was not the result of an election.
The ruling clarified that the amendment cannot affect Jonathan retroactively unless expressly stated in the legislation.
Lawyers Still Divided
Despite the 2022 court judgment, the matter remains contentious among constitutional lawyers. While some insist the amendment disqualifies Jonathan from future bids, others maintain that the law cannot be applied to him since it was enacted after his tenure.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Dayo Akinlaja, argued on Wednesday that Jonathan’s case does not fall under the amended provision and that he remains legally eligible to contest.
With mounting pressure from the PDP and growing public sentiment shifting in his favour, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s potential return is poised to reshape Nigeria’s 2027 political landscape.
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However, legal hurdles and intra-party dynamics may still influence whether he ultimately emerges as the party’s flag bearer.
