6 Things Ex-President Jonathan Has In Common With Ghana President Mahama, Full List Emerge
- Goodluck Jonathan and John Mahama share parallel political paths, both rising from vice presidents to presidents after the deaths of their bosses
- The two leaders legitimised their rule through elections but later lost re-election bids as sitting presidents in 2015 and 2016 respectively
- While Jonathan is speculated to be eyeing a 2027 comeback, Mahama has already returned to power in Ghana in 2024 after eight years out
There is a new list with significant similarities between Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama and Nigeria's former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Both presidents have distinct political paths with surprising ascents, election wins, and record losses.
Source: Getty Images
The following are 6 important things they have in common:
They were born in November
Goodluck Jonathan was born on 20 November 1957.
John Mahama was born around a year later on 29 November 1958.
Both held office as vice presidents
Jonathan was inaugurated as Vice President on 29 May 2007 by the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
Likewise, Mahama was inaugurated as Vice President on 7 January 2009 by President John Atta Mills.
They were both made presidents after their boss died
Jonathan was made in May 2010 when Yar'Adua died.
Two years later, Mahama was made Ghana's President on 24 July 2012 when Mills died.
Both were elected subsequently
After getting into the mess, both men legitimised their leadership at the polls.
Jonathan won the 2011 election and served a full four-year term, and Mahama won Ghana's 2012 election and also served a four-year term.
Both forfeited their re-election as sitting presidents
In May 2010, Jonathan assumed office following the death of Yar’Adua.
Two years later, Mahama became Ghana’s President on 24 July 2012 after the passing of Mills.
Both won election afterward
After getting into the mess, both men legitimised their leadership at the polls.
Jonathan won the 2011 election and served a full four-year term, and Mahama won Ghana's 2012 election and also served a four-year term.
Both forfeited their re-election as sitting presidents
Jonathan was defeated by Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria’s 2015 election.
Mahama suffered a similar fate in 2016, losing to Nana Akufo-Addo.
Both linked to political comebacks
Jonathan has long been speculated to be considering a return in 2027.
Mahama made history by staging a successful return in 2024 and returning as Ghana's President after eight years of loss.
2027: Jonathan told not to contest
Source: Facebook
In another report, Legit.ng reported that Shehu Sani, a former senator from Kaduna, has advised former President Goodluck Jonathan not to recontest for presidency in the 2027 election.
Sani, who was a guest on Channels Television’s 'Sunday Politics' programme monitored by Legit.ng, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jonathan's known party, is no longer united.
2027: Prophet says Trump is backing Jonathan
Previously, Legit.ng reported that ahead of the 2027 election, Primate Elijah Ayodele has claimed that President Donald Trump of the United States (US) is planning to use former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, against President Bola Tinubu.
Ayodele, the leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church (IESC), Lagos, alleged that Trump is "desperate". He urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to be wary.
Legit.ng reports that on Monday, August 25, the national executive committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the south while retaining the national chairmanship in the north. Southern Nigeria has three zones: south-west, south-south, and south-east. The last PDP president from the South was Jonathan of Bayelsa state in the south-south geopolitical zone, who served until 2015.
Source: Legit.ng
