The Presidency on Monday declared that while former President Goodluck Jonathan has every right to contest the 2027 elections, Nigerians will not forget his “dismal record in office” that led to his defeat in 2015.
In a strongly worded statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the Presidency dismissed reports that Jonathan is being drafted into the race by his allies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana.
Onanuga described Gana’s claim that Jonathan could defeat Tinubu in 2027 as “self-delusion,” warning the former president not to be deceived by “sugar-coated cheerleaders” who would abandon him just as they did in 2015.
“Jonathan has the constitutional right to run if he wishes. But Nigerians, who voted him out in 2015 for his disastrous six years, will decide whether he has anything new to offer,” the statement read.
Presidency Slams Jonathan’s Economic Record
The State House accused Jonathan’s administration of reckless economic mismanagement, alleging that he squandered record oil revenues without any clear agenda.
According to the statement, Jonathan inherited $66 billion in 2010 but left behind less than $30 billion in reserves and just $2 billion in the Excess Crude Account by 2015, despite oil selling at an average of $100 per barrel.
It also recalled that by late 2014, Jonathan’s government could no longer pay federal salaries, while 28 states owed workers’ arrears.
In contrast, the Presidency highlighted Tinubu’s achievements in two years, including subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and policies that restored investor confidence. It cited recent figures showing GDP growth at 4.23% in Q2 2025, inflation dropping to 20.12%, and foreign reserves rising to $42.03 billion.
“The economy has turned the corner. Nigerians are already reaping the benefits of reforms, with infrastructure projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway underway,” the statement added.
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While welcoming Jonathan into the race if he decides to run, the Presidency insisted that Nigerians will not risk returning to “the years of waste and economic decline.”
“The PDP broke the economy. President Tinubu is fixing it. Nigerians know better than to hand the country back to those who ran it aground,” Onanuga concluded
