The Presidency, on Monday, declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan was free to contest the 2027 presidential election if he wishes but insisted that Nigerians will not forget his “dismal record” in office.
This was contained in a statement issued by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in response to comments credited to Professor Jerry Gana, a former Minister of Information, who is reportedly backing Jonathan to return to the race on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Onanuga described Gana’s remarks as absurd, accusing him of deluding himself with the claim that Jonathan could defeat President Tinubu in 2027.
He said Jonathan should be wary of PDP “sugar-coated cheerleaders” who only want to use him to pursue selfish political, religious and ethnic interests, warning that they would abandon him midstream just as they did in 2015.
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“Don’t get us wrong: President Jonathan reserves the right to run if he wishes. It is his inalienable right to contest the presidency again.
“President Tinubu will wholeheartedly welcome him if he decides to enter the race. But Jonathan will have his date in the court of the land. Indeed, the jury will determine whether Jonathan, who was sworn in twice as president, satisfies the constitutional requirements and is eligible to contest the presidency and be sworn in, if successful, for a third term in office,” the statement read in part.
The Presidency, however, maintained that Nigerians would still hold Jonathan accountable for his six years in office, which it described as disastrous.
It recalled that his administration had no clear economic agenda, engaged in frivolous spending, depleted reserves and the Excess Crude Account despite record oil revenues, and left salaries unpaid across many states by the end of 2014.
According to the statement, Jonathan inherited $66 billion in 2010 — $46 billion in foreign reserves and $20 billion in the Excess Crude Account. By 2015, reserves had dropped below $30 billion and the ECA was reduced to $2 billion.
During his tenure, it added, corruption thrived, with security funds allegedly diverted to friends and cronies, while businessmen cornered foreign exchange meant for fuel importation without delivering products.
Onanuga contrasted this with President Tinubu’s performance, noting that in 28 months, his administration had removed fuel subsidy, abolished multiple exchange rates, stabilised the naira, restored investor confidence and boosted infrastructure development.
He pointed to Q2 2025 GDP growth of 4.23 per cent, inflation down to 20.12 per cent in August 2025, and foreign reserves of $42.03 billion as evidence of the administration’s progress.
“The nation has turned the corner. And our people have started reaping the gains of the bold reforms instituted by the Tinubu administration.
“Road infrastructure is being boosted. Old roads are being reconstructed while new ones, like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, among others, are springing up. The government is addressing security issues in some parts of the country.
“We can go on and on, reeling out the many macroeconomic gains of the Tinubu administration. However, the point is that the PDP and Jerry Gana’s co-travellers broke the economy; President Tinubu is fixing it. President Jonathan and others are welcome to the 2027 race.
“They broke the economy before, but millions of Nigerians who will not easily forget the recent past will not allow them to return to run it down again,” the statement concluded.
