The Presidency on Monday said it welcomes former President Goodluck Jonathan to the 2027 presidential race, while warning him to be wary of politicians allegedly using him for selfish interests.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, issued the statement in response to comments by former Minister of Information, Jerry Gana, who revealed that Jonathan would contest the 2027 presidential election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Onanuga criticised what he described as the premature desperation of the opposition in ganging up against President Bola Tinubu, despite what he called “giant economic strides” by the administration.
“We are once again regaled with a cacophony of voices, most of them full of sound and fury, signifying nothing, to paraphrase Williams Shakespeare in one of his classic works, Macbeth,” Onanuga said.
He noted that Gana’s move to draft Jonathan into the race under what he termed the “discredited PDP” was laughable, stressing that the party left a legacy of economic ruins after 16 years in power.
“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 to determine whether he is constitutionally eligible for a third term,” Onanuga added.
The Presidential spokesman also accused Jonathan of poor economic stewardship during his six years in office. He recalled that Nigeria’s foreign reserves fell from $66 billion in 2010 to below $30 billion by 2015, while the Excess Crude Account shrank from $20 billion to just $2 billion, despite oil averaging $100 per barrel during much of his tenure.
“By December 2014, Jonathan’s administration could no longer pay salaries to Federal Civil Servants. At least 28 states owed huge arrears. His regime, devoid of a clear economic agenda, engaged in frivolous spending and ran the economy aground,” he said.
In contrast, Onanuga highlighted what he described as bold reforms under President Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates.
“The economy has been stabilised in slightly over two years. In Q2 2025, GDP grew by 4.23%, inflation dropped to 20.12% — the lowest in three years, and foreign reserves now stand at $42.03 billion. The Naira has virtually stabilised, and investor confidence is back,” he stated.
He also cited infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway as proof of the administration’s commitment to national development.
Onanuga concluded that while Jonathan and the PDP are welcome to the 2027 race, Nigerians “will not forget the recent past” and will not allow those who “broke the economy” to return.
