Jonathan should ignore calls to run in 2027, only his enemies want that – Oshiomhole

Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has cautioned ex-President Goodluck Jonathan against yielding to pressure to contest the 2027 presidential election, warning that doing so could undermine his hard-earned political legacy.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Oshiomhole said that only Jonathan’s “enemies” would encourage him to return to the presidential race.

The former APC national chairman noted that Jonathan left office in 2015 with dignity and international respect, describing his decision to peacefully hand over power as one of the most honorable acts in Nigeria’s democratic history.

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“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.”

According to the senator, Jonathan has remained relevant and respected since leaving office, and should focus on preserving that status rather than seeking a political comeback.

“If I were able to advise him, I will say sir, maintain this status . If I were him, I will spend the rest of my life trying to find relevance which he has already found.

“But we will defeat him if he comes out flatly very flatly because now the south are no longer PDP so where is he going to start fro,” he stated.

Jonathan, who was the candidate of the PDP, lost the 2015 presidential election to former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

Speculation about former Jonathan’s possible return in 2027 has grown in recent months following claims by some of his allies that he was being pressured to join the race, though he has yet to make any public declaration.

(Punch)