On Monday, the Presidency affirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is entitled to vie for the 2027 presidential election if he chooses to do so. However, it emphasized that Nigerians remain mindful of the shortcomings that marked his tenure.
This declaration came through a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, addressing remarks attributed to Professor Jerry Gana, a former Minister of Information. Gana has reportedly expressed support for Jonathan’s potential candidacy under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) banner.
Onanuga dismissed Gana’s assertions as unrealistic, accusing him of harboring unfounded hopes that Jonathan could outpace President Tinubu in the upcoming election.
He cautioned Jonathan against trusting the overly optimistic supporters within the PDP, who, according to Onanuga, are motivated by narrow political, religious, and ethnic agendas and are likely to abandon him as they did in 2015.
“To be clear, President Jonathan has every right to contest if he wishes. It is his constitutional prerogative to seek the presidency once more,” the statement clarified.
“President Tinubu would welcome his participation in the race. Nonetheless, Jonathan’s eligibility will be subject to judicial scrutiny to determine if he meets the constitutional criteria to run and, if successful, serve a third term,” it added.
Despite this, the Presidency reiterated that Nigerians will continue to hold Jonathan responsible for what it described as a troubled six-year administration.
The statement highlighted that Jonathan’s government lacked a coherent economic strategy, engaged in wasteful expenditures, and depleted both the foreign reserves and the Excess Crude Account, despite benefiting from unprecedented oil revenues. It also noted that many states were unable to pay salaries by the end of 2014.
Specifically, it pointed out that Jonathan inherited $66 billion in 2010-comprising $46 billion in foreign reserves and $20 billion in the Excess Crude Account. By 2015, these reserves had dwindled to under $30 billion, with the Excess Crude Account reduced to just $2 billion.
The statement further accused Jonathan’s administration of fostering corruption, citing allegations that security funds were diverted to associates and that some businessmen monopolized foreign exchange intended for fuel imports without delivering the products.
In contrast, Onanuga praised President Tinubu’s achievements within 28 months, including the removal of fuel subsidies, elimination of multiple exchange rates, stabilization of the naira, restoration of investor confidence, and significant infrastructure development.
He referenced key economic indicators such as a 4.23% GDP growth in the second quarter of 2025, inflation reduced to 20.12% as of August 2025, and foreign reserves standing at $42.03 billion as proof of the current administration’s progress.
“The country is on an upward trajectory, and citizens are beginning to experience the benefits of the Tinubu administration’s bold reforms,” Onanuga stated.
“Road networks are being enhanced, with both rehabilitation of existing routes and construction of new highways like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway underway. Efforts to improve security in various regions are also ongoing.”
“We could continue listing the numerous macroeconomic successes under President Tinubu. The essential point remains: the PDP and Jerry Gana’s allies left the economy in disarray, and President Tinubu is restoring it. While President Jonathan and others are welcome to contest in 2027, millions of Nigerians who remember the past hardships will resist any attempt to regress,” the statement concluded.
