Nigeria’s former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is reportedly being positioned as a major contender against incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
A close ally of the former president, who is also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), confirmed to Vanguard that high-level consultations to draft Jonathan into the race on the PDP platform have reached an advanced stage, with the former president said to have agreed to the plan.
According to the source, Jonathan’s decision to return to the political arena is driven by the desire to tackle the deepening poverty, economic hardship, and widespread suffering currently affecting Nigerians. The source added that the move to bring Jonathan back is being championed by prominent Nigerian leaders and elders who believe he provided stability and economic growth during his six-year tenure.
“These elders and key PDP figures are convinced that Jonathan is the right candidate to rescue the country and restore the economy to a path of progress,” the source stated, noting that sustained efforts had been made to persuade the former leader to re-enter the political fray.