Shehu Sani To Jonathan: 2027 Presidential Race Not Worth It

Shehu Sani To Jonathan: 2027 Presidential Race Not Worth It

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has cautioned ex-President Goodluck Jonathan against making a political comeback in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that Nigeria’s political landscape has undergone profound changes since Jonathan’s time in office.

Jonathan, who ascended to the presidency in 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and won a full term in 2011 under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), faced a historic defeat in 2015.

Running for re-election, he was unseated by Muhammadu Buhari of the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC), marking the first time an incumbent Nigerian president lost at the polls. The loss was not only politically significant but deeply personal, Jonathan later described the experience as emotionally isolating, saying it felt as though “the whole world was against” him.

Now, with speculation swirling about a potential return, fueled by debates over a one-term Southern presidency and the rise of a new opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Sani believes such a move would be ill-advised.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Sani noted that the PDP, once a formidable platform for Jonathan, has splintered and lost its cohesion.

“Each time there is an election, Jonathan’s name resurfaces. It’s his choice to run, but I advise against it. The PDP he once knew no longer exists,” Sani said, pointing to internal divisions and regional endorsements of the current administration.

He also dismissed the credibility of the emerging opposition coalition, arguing that its members lack ideological clarity and are indistinguishable from President Bola Tinubu’s political framework. “We’re in a democracy, and opposition is vital. But if their only goal is to oust Tinubu without offering a distinct vision for governance, then they have no real agenda,” he said.

Sani emphasized that the coalition’s policy positions, such as support for subsidy removal and currency devaluation, mirror those of the current government, undermining their claim to offer meaningful alternatives. “This isn’t a clash of philosophies. It’s not Marxists versus Capitalists or Liberals versus Conservatives. It’s more of the same,” he added.

In essence, Sani’s remarks reflect a broader skepticism about nostalgia-driven candidacies and the viability of political revival in a landscape that has evolved dramatically since Jonathan’s last campaign.

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