2027 Election: Oshiomhole Mentions Those Who Want Jonathan to Contest Against Tinubu
- Former governor of Edo state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has sent an important message to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan
- Oshiomhole said Jonathan should focus on preserving his status rather than contesting against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027
- According to Oshiomhole, Jonathan stands no chance of defeating President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - A former Edo state governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has claimed that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan poses no threat to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Oshiomhole urged Jonathan not to give in to pressure to contest the 2027 election.
Source: Getty Images
He warned Jonathan that contesting the 2027 election could damage his political legacy.
As reported by The Punch, Oshiomhole stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on October 5, 2025.
The senator representing Edo North said that only Jonathan’s “enemies” would want him to recontest.
He said Jonathan should focus on preserving the status of being relevant and respected rather than seeking a political comeback.
“I have a lot of respect for him. Now, how can Jonathan be a threat? We defeated him before when PDP was truly PDP. If a man had a PDP at his best, at his peak, and he was defeated, I think only his enemy will push him to go into the race.
“There are other issues that may not be helpful to him. I think he has managed to demonstrate that out of power, you can be relevant and be at peace.”
The former Edo governor said that if Jonathan will be defeated if he finally decides to contest against Tinubu in 2027.
“But we will defeat him if he comes out flatly, very flatly, because now the South is no longer PDP, so where is he going to start from?”
Source: Twitter
2027 presidency: Jonathan reportedly considering ADC platform
Recall that ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the ADC had a series of meetings with many eminent Nigerians, and more meetings are expected to take place soon.
Leaders and key stakeholders in the ADC and PDP have reportedly intensified moves to win Jonathan into their respective parties.
Meetings in Abuja have been held between Jonathan and ADC coalition leaders, which sources said were all about the ex-Nigerian leader’s 2027 ambition.
2027: Jonathan’s comeback could shock Tinubu camp
A public policy analyst, Daniel Akinlami, has said that speculations about former President Goodluck Jonathan returning to the political scene ahead of the 2027 presidential election have already created pressure within the Tinubu administration.
Akinlami, who spoke with Legit.ng, described the development as a “new dimension” in Nigeria’s political landscape.
“I think it's an interesting time because it's already putting pressure on Tinubu’s government. Like some people have described it, Tinubu did not see it coming,” he said.
According to him, the government’s major focus had been on Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, whose rivalry has dominated the political discourse since the 2023 elections.
“The focus of this government has been on Atiku and Peter Obi. They've been tackling each other back and forth, leading to the formation of ADC. Peter Obi has also been tackling Tinubu government policies back to back, especially on social media.”
“It's a new dimension to the 2027 race and it's not surprising if eventually Goodluck Jonathan joins the race and contests. He may probably even win the race.”
Akinlami also placed Jonathan’s potential comeback within a wider African trend of former presidents returning to power.
“This is the trend now in some parts of Africa. Here in West Africa and one or two other countries. Remember John Mahama staging a comeback in Ghana, then Peter Mutharika in Malawi only just recently,” he said.
Akinlami speaks on what will favour Jonathan
According to him, Jonathan’s calm demeanor and lack of political baggage could work in his favour:
“Jonathan's baggage is not that much compared to Atiku, Peter Obi and even Tinubu himself”
“Jonathan's ability to concede defeat in 2015 and his decision to keep quiet, not picking up fights with different political gladiators, including Buhari, who defeated him, has done so much good for hn
Northern political actors, the politician said, might rally behind Jonathan if he decides to run:
“If Jonathan steps into the race today, I can tell you that it's the northerners who will carry the candidacy in their heads. Because you can see the difference from when he was president and what is happening now.”
Akinlami further praised Jonathan’s record in office, saying his administration made more impact than his successors.
“The guy (Jonathan) actually did more for more Nigerians than the two governments that succeeded him. H created the Almajiri schools in the north and paid attention to some of the issues even though he was unable to defeat Boko Haram. Buhari, that was the general that ought to have put an end to the insurgency, couldn’t.”
He predicted that Jonathan may eventually contest in 2027, though the final outcome remains uncertain.
Akinlami concluded that northern power rotation ambitions might favour Jonathan’s candidacy:
“The north wants the power to come back to them in 2031 and Jonathan is fitting. Jonathan is such a gentleman, a cooperative person. I don't know how Tinubu is going to brace up for the challenge.”
Read more stories on Jonathan:
- 2027 Elections: Jonathan, 2 Other Nigerian Politicians Who Have Alleged Political Betrayal
- List of Top Politicians Told Not to Run for 2027 Presidential Election
- 2027 Elections: Top APC Chieftain Welcomes Jonathan to Presidential Race, "The More The Merrier"
- Is Jonathan Eligible to Contest 2027 Presidential Election? Presidency, Lawyers, Supporters Speak
- 2027 elections: 2 Reasons North will prefer Jonathan to Peter Obi
2027 election: Jonathan urged not contest
In a previous story, Legit.ng reported that former Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo advised Jonathan against joining the 2027 presidential race.
Okonkwo insisted that the ex-president should continue enjoying his role as an internationally respected statesman.
The actor-turned-politician warned that some individuals are bent on destroying Jonathan “so much that he will regret he ever even contemplated” returning.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a public policy analyst for this report.
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Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
