Is former President Goodluck Jonathan truly considering joining the 2027 presidential race? Honestly, after looking at the situation, I believe some political opportunists have sweet-talked him into the idea. These same people bled him dry in 2015 when he lost the election, and they’re now circling back for another feast. Nigerians have not forgotten how GEJ, as we fondly call him, seemed absent from the driver’s seat during his tenure. It often felt like he had handed over the controls to a select few—Mrs Patience Jonathan, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Stella Oduah, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala—who operated like co-presidents in their own right. We cannot afford to return to that kind of leadership. If we truly want Nigeria to move forward, GEJ should be kept far away from Aso Rock. Those urging him to run are not doing it for the love of country—they are deceiving him.
Jonathan’s era was marked by a staggering looting of our national treasury. Then came Buhari, whose leadership style was more of a “sidon look” approach, allowing a hidden cabal to run the country into the ground. Figures like Tunde Sabiu Yusuf, a young and greedy operator, gained unprecedented influence. He was said to be the deputy head of the cabal and used that position to devastating effect, leaving Nigeria battered and gasping. That era minted overnight billionaires who added no real value to the nation. The irony? When Buhari passed away recently, Sabiu was nowhere near his graveside. Power is fleeting, yet its damage can last decades.
The truth is, Jonathan was never a strong or decisive president. Nigeria needed grit and firmness, but what we got was a leader too mild for the storms of our time. Even the Sovereign Wealth Fund, which could have been a legacy asset, was left vulnerable because no laws were enacted to protect it. GEJ never actively fought to get into office—circumstance and divine arrangement put him there—and it showed in his governance. His own South-South region, which should have been a showcase of development, was left neglected. The East–West Road, which could have been his signature project, remained incomplete. Those powerful women in his administration wielded authority with almost royal arrogance, especially Diezani, who seemed to pick and choose which presidential instructions she would obey. The aftermath of their actions still haunts us today.
My sincere advice to GEJ: please stay far away from the 2027 race. You will be used, drained, and discarded. Right now, the respect you enjoy on the world stage comes from your dignified acceptance of defeat in 2015—a move that etched your name in gold. Don’t rewrite that legacy with a chapter of political miscalculation. The presidency is not yours to win this time, and running will only waste your energy and goodwill. Sir, enjoy your retirement. Rest. Let your name remain untarnished.
President Tinubu is already working to clean up the mess left behind by both your administration and Buhari’s. It’s a tall mountain to climb, but his steady approach is beginning to bear small but visible results. We must allow these seeds to mature, so all Nigerians can enjoy the fruits. Let Tinubu finish his eight years without unnecessary distractions. Nigeria’s recovery is too important to gamble away on political nostalgia.
