Many Nigerians are still anxiously waiting to hear and know if former President Goodluck Jonathan will yield to pressure and join the 2027 presidential race.

This comes after leaders of the country’s main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) made serious moves to woo the Otuoke-born politician to contest the party’s presidential ticket by meeting him personally within and outside the country.

In the last few weeks, some high-ranking PDP stakeholders were also said to have travelled to The Gambia to meet with Jonathan and persuade him to accept the party’s ticket.

Jonathan, who led Nigeria between 2010 and 2015, has in recent years positioned himself as a mediator in national and continental issues, particularly in conflict resolution and democratic strengthening efforts across Africa and beyond.

Political analysts say the zoning of 2027 presidential ticket to the Southern region by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP was deliberate to clear the coast for Jonathan to contest the presidential ticket of the party.

PDP’s obvious preference for Jonathan is hinged on the fact that since he is constitutionally constrained to a term of four years, the North will accept him.

The current attempt to lure Jonathan into the presidential race is not the first attempt since he lost power to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In 2023, a failed attempt was made to draft him into the race on the platform of the APC.

But the former president has not publicly declined or accepted to contest, although there are reports that those close to him are regrouping and have held meetings.

Jonathan appears to have poured fuel to such reports and rumours after his recent meeting with Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election.

Obi is also courted by the PDP leadership, for him to return to the party ahead of 2027, but observers say the meeting could be part of a broader plan by the two political heavy weights to work together ahead of 2027.

Speaking at the meeting, Obi described Jonathan as his elder brother, a statesman, and leader, adding that they had a fruitful meeting and discussed the state of the nation.

“Today in Abuja, I met with my very dear elder brother, statesman, and leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan. We had a fruitful closed-door meeting and discussed the state of our dear nation,” Obi wrote on his X page.

Jonathan appears still bothered by the manner in which he lost the 2025 presidential poll to the late Muhammadu Buhari, who was the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president in the country’s history.

Jonathan, who spoke in Benin City at the 70th birthday celebration of his longtime ally and former Chief of Staff, Mike Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe, declared that he witnessed a lot of betrayal from those he trusted most while seeking re-election.

“Politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals. I witnessed a lot of betrayal during the 2015 election,” Jonathan said at the event.

“You’ll find it difficult to see somebody who will say the same thing in the morning and say the same thing in the afternoon and in the evening. They will tell you something this minute and the next hour, they’ll say another.”

A chieftain of the PDP and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro recently confirmed that Jonathan, ex-Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, were being persuaded by top members of the PDP to join the 2027 presidential race on the platform of the PDP.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, also stated that the party’s move to woo Jonathan was in response to growing calls from Nigerians who now believe his past administration was not appreciated.

Speaking recently, a founding member of the PDP, Jerry Gana, said in an interview that Obi may be good, but that the PDP has somebody better. Observers say it is obvious the former Minister was talking about Jonathan.

“In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate because our people are very fair-minded and just. We are reaching out to Peter Obi. Because I’m leading a search team and there are many brilliant people. Peter may be good, but we have somebody better. So, we are searching,” Gana said.

Furthermore, many politicians and political analysts who spoke to BusinessDay said the former president candidacy is sellable and more sensible to power brokers, because he is a southerner by origin, but has long cultivated relationships with the northern elite.

Those clamouring for the former president say that his legacy, particularly in overseeing Nigeria’s only peaceful transfer of power between rival parties in 2015, has continued to burnish his image at home and abroad.

They argue that his non-confrontational style and reputation as a democrat could provide a unifying platform for a fractured opposition struggling to reinvent itself ahead of the next presidential election.

“Jonathan policies had a human face and I’m not sure he would have the mind to impose this kind of suffering on us in the name of reforms.

“His appointment had a national look and you can compare that to what is happening now.

There is no region that did not benefit from his government, that is why a lot of us are calling for him to come back,” A top PDP leader told BusinessDay.

Similarly, many say he remained the most unifying figure in Nigerian politics today and should be encouraged to come and unite the country.

“Whatever you say about him, Jonathan remains the most unifying figure in Nigerian politics today.

“His recent lament about betrayal is a reminder of why the country desperately needs leaders whose words can be taken to the bank,” said a top opposition politician who did not want his name in print.

Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, also described former President Goodluck Jonathan as the PDP strongest option for the 2027 presidential election, urging the party to make concerted efforts to bring him back.

“I think for PDP now they should try to woo Jonathan; he is their best bet. To me, he is their best bet. Anybody put forth by the PDP, Nigerians will support him,”

Lamido described Jonathan as one who has led the country before, understands governance, and works well with others.

According to the PDP chieftain, no current party member from the South can match Jonathan’s experience.

“He is most welcomed, competent, and very qualified. To me, I welcome him into the PDP. I think so far in the PDP, with all respect to all members, I don’t see a better alternative than Jonathan if he comes to the PDP.

“I don’t see any other person, really. If we are giving the presidency to the South, it will be the PDP.

“Who is there in PDP now that can challenge Jonathan in terms of being in office, being full-headed, being somebody who is willing to listen, and somebody who is also a key player who believes in partnership?” the former governor said.

Although some party elders privately believe that only Jonathan can bring sanity and bring good governance to Nigerians, Wike has openly advised him that he should resist the temptation to run against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

According to Wike, “I know Jonathan very well. He has international respect and should maintain that. These same people weighing Jonathan down are the ones who played him in 2015. They are only trying to cause confusion in the party.

“People pushing Jonathan, what strength do they have? Were they not the same people who worked against him in 2015? Those calling for a Jonathan candidacy are the same political actors who ‘played him’ during the 2015 elections.”

Also, former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Shehu Sani, advised the ex-President against contesting the 2027 presidential election, warning that the political landscape is no longer what it used to be.

Sani argued that the PDP, which Jonathan rode to victory with in 2011, is now fragmented and weakened.

“Each time there is an election, the name of Jonathan comes up, but it is his volition to contest, but I advise him not to do that. The reason is very simple: the PDP he used to know is not the PDP now.

“The PDP in the South-West is endorsing the president. Some members of the party are in the coalition. So, it is the party he used to know, so he shouldn’t waste his time,” Sani said.

Lawyers say no legal hurdle stopping Jonathan.

As the clamour for Jonathan to enter the presidential race ahead of general election continues.

There are also concerns about his eligibility to contest the presidential poll having been sworn-in twice into office.

This came about considering the 2018 amendment to the 1999 constitution by the National Assembly which bars an individual from being sworn- in twice into office as president of Nigeria.

Section 137(3) now reads: “A person, who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as President, shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.” A similar clause was inserted into Section 182 for governors.

The issue is generating debates and is heating up the political discussions. Many lawyers and politicians are divided on Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the presidency in 2027.

Jonathan, who was vice president to the last Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, served as acting president for months due to Yar’Adua’s prolonged illness, which left him incapacitated.

He was formally sworn in as substantive president in May 2010 following Yar’Adua’s death.

In 2011, Jonathan contested and won a full term, which ended in 2015 when he was defeated by Muhammadu Buhari. By that account, he has only served one elected term.

Monday Ubani, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), believes Jonathan was free to contest in 2027, because he was not bar by the existing law.

Ubani noted that Jonathan’s first swearing-in in 2010, following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, did not count as an elected term.

“It is not by election, it’s clearly by disposition of the law, complying with Section 146 of the 1999 Constitution,” Ubani said.

Ubani argued that Jonathan’s only legitimate electoral victory was in 2011. He reminded Nigerians that even before the constitutional amendment, the courts had already spoken.

“In 2015, when he wanted to re-contest, somebody went to court… and Justice Mudashiru ruled that the president then is eligible to run… the former oath that he took in 2010 was not by virtue of election, but by virtue of succession,” he said.

For Ubani, the fourth alteration cannot be applied retroactively.

“Every law is prospective… if there was an amendment in 2017, that came into operation in 2018, how could that law be applicable to vested rights that took place in 2010 to 2015?” he asked.

“My view is that President Jonathan is clearly eligible under the 1999 constitution to run for 2027… despite the provision of Section 137(3) that came into existence in 2018,” he added.

Similarly, Dayo Akinlaja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that former President Jonathan was not caught up by the said constitutional amendment.

According to him: “The relevant provisions on this vexed issue are both clear and unambiguous - Sections 137(3) and 182(3).

“They portend one term of office for anyone who falls within the spectrum thereof. However, the provision of Section 137(3) cannot be applied to President Jonathan, who was sworn in and did a term under the old constitutional dispensation.

“It has to be borne in mind that Sections 182(3) and 137(3) were introduced in 2017 with a commencement date of 7th June, 2018.

“Thus, President Jonathan is still entitled to contest in my humble view. However, the provision of Section 182(3) would apply to bar a Deputy Governor sworn in to complete the term of a Governor after the commencement of the provision. (BusinessDay)