The Presidency has dismissed calls for former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 elections, insisting he has “nothing new to offer Nigerians” after what it described as his “disastrous six years in office.”
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, issued the statement on Monday in response to comments by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, who had urged Jonathan to seek a comeback on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Onanuga described Gana’s suggestion as “absurd,” cautioning Jonathan against being swayed by what he called “sugar-coated cheerleaders” within the PDP who, he argued, only seek to exploit his candidacy for their own political and ethnic interests.
“Jonathan is free to run if he wishes — it is his constitutional right,” Onanuga said. “But Nigerians will judge whether he has anything new to offer after the failings of his administration, for which he was voted out in 2015.”
The Presidency accused Jonathan’s government of reckless spending, depleting reserves, mismanaging oil revenues, and leaving behind salary arrears in over two dozen states. It further alleged widespread corruption in fuel imports and security funds during his tenure.
Contrasting the past with the present, Onanuga credited President Bola Tinubu’s administration with stabilising the economy through reforms such as subsidy removal and exchange rate unification. He highlighted improved GDP growth, falling inflation, stronger reserves, renewed investor confidence, and ongoing infrastructure projects as evidence of progress.
“While the PDP broke the economy, President Tinubu is fixing it,” Onanuga declared. “Jonathan and his backers are free to test their strength in 2027, but Nigerians will not allow those who ruined the economy before to ruin it again.”
Source:Africa Publicity
