Goodluck Jonathan to Contest 2027 Presidency, Party Insider Confirms
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly agreed to join the 2027 presidential race, according to a trusted political associate.
The revelation, reported by Vanguard, comes from a senior member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) familiar with ongoing high-level consultations involving the ex-leader.
According to the source, who requested anonymity, Jonathan has officially accepted appeals from influential party stakeholders and elder statesmen urging him to run.
“The decision has been made. He’s accepted to return. He believes he can offer leadership once again to tackle poverty, insecurity, and the deepening economic crisis in the country,” the insider was quoted as saying.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, is said to have committed to serving only one term if elected—a strategy believed to be aimed at winning northern political support. Observers suggest that this one-term pledge is being used to assure northern leaders that power would return to their region by 2031.
“He’s constitutionally allowed just one term, and that’s a major factor attracting support from the North. They view it as a smooth transitional arrangement,” the source explained.
The former president is already said to have begun consultations within and outside the PDP. Over the weekend, he reportedly met with former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) in Minna, Niger State, to inform him of his decision.
In the South-South, Jonathan is also holding private talks with key stakeholders, including discreet meetings in Port Harcourt. Sources say securing support from the region is unlikely to be an issue.
PDP leaders appear to be fully on board with the development. Reports suggest a delegation of party chieftains recently visited Jonathan in The Gambia to further persuade him. In an interview with BBC Hausa, PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi confirmed ongoing talks with the former president.
“Many Nigerians now recognise the value of his past leadership. The calls for his return are loud, and as a party, we’re listening,” Abdullahi said.
He added that Jonathan has remained a loyal PDP member and that his comeback could present a strong challenge to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
However, Jonathan’s potential return is reviving constitutional debates about his eligibility. Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended in 2018) states that any person who has been sworn in twice as president cannot run again.
Legal experts are divided. Some argue Jonathan is ineligible, having completed late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s term in 2010 before winning a full term in 2011. Others contend the 2018 amendment cannot be applied retroactively to disqualify him.
Notably, in 2022, a Federal High Court in Yenagoa ruled in Jonathan’s favour, declaring that the constitutional amendment does not bar him from contesting.
As consultations continue and legal debates resurface, all eyes remain on Jonathan and the unfolding political drama ahead of 2027.
