Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly entered the race for the 2027 presidential election after a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Umar Sani, claimed he has already obtained the party’s nomination form.
Sani made the disclosure on Tuesday during an appearance on Trust TV, triggering fresh political reactions over Jonathan’s possible return to frontline politics more than a decade after leaving office.
If confirmed, Jonathan’s candidacy would set up a major contest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), and other contenders expected in the 2027 race.
Sani, a former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, also addressed ongoing legal challenges questioning Jonathan’s eligibility to contest again, insisting the matter had already been settled by judicial precedent.
“We are very confident that the matter will be thrown out because you cannot relitigate something that has already been decided upon,” he said.
He argued that only the Supreme Court could overturn earlier rulings, expressing confidence that the case before Justice Peter Lifu would be dismissed when it comes up for hearing on May 26.
Although Jonathan has not publicly declared any political ambition or confirmed his platform, Sani insisted that his actions indicate active preparation for a comeback.
“In politics, what matters is action. If you are interested, you follow due process, including obtaining nomination forms. He has done that,” he said.
Pressed further, he maintained that Jonathan had not only obtained the form but was also preparing for its public submission.
“Yes, and in fact, he is about to come and submit the form publicly,” he added.
He dismissed suggestions that the former president’s name was being used for political speculation, saying Jonathan still enjoys strong goodwill among Nigerians.
“Most Nigerians know him and are nostalgic about Jonathan,” he said.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, has largely stayed out of partisan politics since his defeat in 2015, focusing on mediation and diplomatic engagements across Africa.
Leave a Reply