Don’t bother to contest 2027 Presidential election against Tinubu – Oshiomhole warns Jonathan

Don’t bother to contest 2027 Presidential election against Tinubu – Oshiomhole warns Jonathan

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has dismissed any chances of former President Goodluck Jonathan posing a serious threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential race, should he choose to run.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the senator representing Edo North argued that Jonathan’s influence in the South-South region has significantly diminished since his exit from power in 2015.

According to Oshiomhole, this makes any potential bid by the former leader unviable.

“We will defeat him flatly if he comes out because now, the South-South is no longer PDP, so where is he going to start from?” he said.

The former Edo State governor questioned the wisdom of encouraging Jonathan to re-enter politics, suggesting it would only harm the legacy he built, especially after his peaceful exit from power.

“How can Jonathan be a threat? We defeated him before, when PDP was truly PDP. If a man had a PDP at its best, at its peak, and he was defeated, I think only his enemy will push him to go into election,” Oshiomhole remarked.

He emphasised that Jonathan should instead focus on maintaining his status as a respected statesman, having already served two terms as president.

“If I were able to advise him, I will say, Sir, maintain this status. You governed for eight years; you don’t have to govern for nine years,” he said.

“He has managed to demonstrate that out of power, you can be relevant and be at peace.”

Oshiomhole also praised Jonathan’s widely celebrated concession after the 2015 presidential election, calling it a move that enhanced his international reputation.

“His quote that his blood is not worth the blood of any Nigerian should remain his lasting legacy,” he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, 2023 PDP governorship candidate in Lagos, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, also advised Jonathan against making a comeback.

Oshiomhole concluded by warning that any attempt by Jonathan to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027 would be a political miscalculation.

“He would be reduced to a minnow by President Bola Tinubu at the polls,” he said, asserting that those pushing Jonathan to run again are “deceiving him.”