Oshiomhole Warns Jonathan Against 2027 Comeback Bid Will Damage His Legacy

Former Edo State Governor and senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has urged ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to resist pressure to contest the 2027 presidential election, saying such a move would harm his political reputation and legacy.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Oshiomhole said that Jonathan’s advisers or supporters urging him to re-enter the race were not acting in his best interest.

“I have a lot of respect for him. Now, how can Jonathan be a threat? We defeated him before when PDP was truly PDP. If a man had PDP at its best and he was defeated, I think only his enemy will push him to go into the race,” Oshiomhole said.

He added that Jonathan, who has remained visible in public life since leaving office, has earned respect at home and abroad — a status he risks losing if he seeks a comeback.

“There are other issues that may not be helpful to him. I think he has managed to demonstrate that out of power, you can be relevant and be at peace.

If I were able to advise him, I would say, ‘Sir, maintain this status.’ If I were him, I would spend the rest of my life nurturing the relevance which he has already found,” he added.

Oshiomhole, who led the All Progressives Congress (APC) when it defeated Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, said the former president no longer has the political base he once commanded.

“But we will defeat him if he comes out, very flatly, because now the South is no longer PDP, so where is he going to start from?” he queried.

Jonathan, who served as president between 2010 and 2015, lost his re-election bid to former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Rumours of his possible return have resurfaced in recent months, with some of his loyalists claiming he is under pressure to contest again in 2027.

However, the former president has yet to make any formal statement regarding the speculation.