ABUJA — As political permutations ahead of the 2027 presidential election gather momentum, loyalists of former President Goodluck Jonathan have launched moves to draft him back into the race, pitching him as the strongest Southern candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu.
With the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) already backing Tinubu for a second term and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoning its ticket to the South, the contest is shaping up as a Southern affair.
For weeks, influential figures within the PDP, particularly from the North, have been mounting pressure on Jonathan to throw his hat into the ring. As part of the consultations, sources told Vanguard that Jonathan’s camp has reached out to Labour Party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer, Mr Peter Obi, urging him to step aside in favor of the former president.
Although there were speculations of a private meeting between Jonathan and Obi, close associates of the former Anambra governor dismissed the claims. “It is true Jonathan’s people want Obi to step down for him, but Jonathan himself is yet to meet Obi. I can assure you Obi is committed to his mission of rescuing Nigeria,” a source insisted.
Obi, who left the PDP for the Labour Party in 2022, has been vocal in his criticism of the Tinubu administration and is backing a broader opposition coalition that includes heavyweights such as former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Senate President David Mark, ex-Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola, and former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform.
Why Jonathan?
Jonathan’s backers argue that he is the most viable Southern candidate to unseat Tinubu. Their pitch: if elected, Jonathan can only serve one term, thereby preserving Nigeria’s North-South power rotation. Tinubu, if re-elected, would also be limited to four more years.
Interestingly, Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who recently defected to the ADC, have both promised to serve only one term if elected, though skeptics argue that many politicians have made similar pledges in the past but reneged. Jonathan’s unique advantage, supporters claim, is that the constitution itself prevents him from seeking more than one term.
The Legal Hurdle
However, Jonathan’s eligibility remains a thorny issue. Section 137 of the 1999 Constitution, amended in 2018, bars anyone sworn in twice as president from contesting again. Jonathan, who first assumed office in 2010 following President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s death, was sworn in again in 2011 after winning election, before losing his 2015 re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari.
Legal experts remain divided. While some argue the amendment cannot apply retroactively since Jonathan left office before 2018, others insist the constitutional provision is clear — no one can be sworn in more than twice.
Opponents warn that fielding Jonathan could backfire if the courts eventually disqualify him, leaving the PDP and any allies who step down for him stranded.
As consultations intensify, all eyes remain on Jonathan, Obi, and other Southern contenders like Rotimi Amaechi and Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde — all nursing ambitions to face Tinubu in what promises to be a defining 2027 presidential battle.
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