Politics

2027: Jonathan keeps mum as northern opposition intensifies pressure

Published

1 year ago

August 22, 2025

Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, pressure is mounting on former President, Goodluck Jonathan to join the race.

The former president is under pressure, especially from the northern opposition, to declare his interest to run against President Bola Tinubu.

Jonathan served as Nigerian president for about five years.

The former Bayelsa State governor became a president by chance following the death of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in May 2010.

Yar’Adua served as the president of Nigeria from 2007 until his death in May 2010.

He won the Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April, 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007.

On Thursday May 6, 2010, Jonathan was sworn in as 14th head of state and 4th executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

After completing the tenure of Yar’Adua, Jonathan contested and won the presidential election in 2011 but was defeated by the coalition of political parties under the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2015, in his second attempt.

Back then in 2015, there was heated debate about an individual being sworn in thrice as the President of Nigeria as some groups opposed Jonathan’s emergence for this reason.

It was had then reported that some Northern youths called on Jonathan to bury his second term ambition, declaring that no Nigerian President can be sworn in thrice.

The youths, under the aegis of Arewa Youths Forum, AYF, said the then president had taken the oath of office twice.

The debate resonated again in 2023 when different positions on his eligibility for the 2023 presidential election made the rounds.

However, a Federal High Court in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, in a judgment delivered on Friday, May 27, 2022, cleared Jonathan for the 2023 Presidential contest.

This happened hours to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential primary elections as there was anticipation that he would join the contest.

And by then, the former President was linked with the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential race following the reported purchase of N100 million form on his behalf by a Fulani group.

The court held that Jonathan, who lost the 2015 election to President Muhammadu Buhari, could still vie for the highest political office in the country.

The presiding judge, Justice Isa Hamma Dashen, who gave the judgement, also held that Jonathan’s right to contest for the office of president in 2023 cannot be stopped by any retroactive law.

In an originating summons filed by Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham, the plaintiffs sought an order of the court stating that Jonathan is not affected by the fourth alteration to the constitution barring Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.

APC, Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission were listed as defendants in the suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/86/2022, before Justice Isa Dashen.

However, Jonathan did not contest during the 2023 presidential election, even with the claims that then President Muhammadu Buhari was aiming at compensating the Bayelsa-born politician for relinquishing power to him in 2015.

And now, as political discussions for 2027 have commenced in earnest, the former president appears to be under pressure to enter the race.

Just like in 2023, the pressure seems to be coming mostly from the North.

In accordance with the gentleman’s agreement between the north and the south, Jonathan’s presidency would favour the north as he would have to do just one term in office with no room for a second, according to the constitution.

Although the former President has not made public his decision on whether or not he is entering the race, those around are being quoted to say that he will be one of the leading candidates to confront President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential poll.

He is rumoured to be readying himself to run on the platform of the People Democratic Party, PDP, with stories in some sections of the media claiming that he had already accepted.

Meanwhile, as Jonathan’s potential candidacy for the 2027 presidential election remains uncertain, with no official announcements or confirmations from him or the PDP regarding his intentions, some Nigerians and political observers have recently shared divergent views about him.

Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, in a recent interview on Channels Television, gave reasons Jonathan should not contest the forthcoming 2027 presidential election.

Sani said the PDP, the party Jonathan used to win the election in 2011, is no longer the same.

He advised the ex-president to jettison the idea of running for president come 2027.

Also, Dele Farotimi, a frontline lawyer, said that some politicians are trying hard to rebrand Jonathan, who was voted out of office by Nigerians in 2015 for valid reasons.

He pointed out that there were good reasons Nigerians decided to vote Jonathan out in 2015 which they believed was the solution to the country’s problems, but ended up in a worse situation

For a human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, Jonathan is not interested in contesting the 2027 presidential election.

Meanwhile, when asked , if the PDP was ready to receive Jonathan’s ambition with open arms and hand him the party’s sole presidential ticket, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the matter was still speculative.

But in a telephone interview , Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, a Lagos PDP chieftain and former member, Atiku Abubakar 2023 presidential campaign council, said he does not expect someone like Goodluck Jonathan to get the nod of the PDP even if he shows interest to run in the election.

Pearse, a former PDP national chairmanship aspirant and gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State, said Goodluck Jonathan, a full member of PDP, was more than welcome to come and run if he wants to, especially as the party has zoned the presidency to the South.

However, he noted that Jonathan has not been an active member of the party, doesn’t fund the party and shows no moral support.

He pointed out that Jonathan’s candidacy could lead to litigation, a risk the PDP is not ready to take.

“He’s not just coming to PDP. Jonathan is a member of PDP. He has not been very active; nonetheless, he’s a full member of the party.

“So as a member of the party, and since the party has zoned the presidency to the south, he’s more than welcome to come and run if he wants to run.

“My suspicion, though, is two things. Number one, he has been away from the party. He has not been involved, he has not been helpful, he has not been encouraging.

“He has not been funding the party, no moral support for about five years now. Therefore, I don’t see how he could get the nomination, because where will he get the delegates, so that’s the problem.

“So if he wants to run, I don’t think he will win the primaries. And by the way, we don’t give tickets to anybody. We support whoever wants to run, and then they go and look for delegates. If they win the primaries with more delegates, then they become the nominee.

“Secondly, I don’t think it is in the best interest of the PDP to even field a person like Jonathan, because there is this question of whether or not he’s even legally qualified to run after being sworn in twice.

“Some people, some legal reading says, yes, you can run. Others, they cannot run. When you have such doubt. Don’t you think it is best for a party not to field him at all, not to support him? You see my point. I think he’s disqualified because court cases will come up. That is too risky. That is the point.

“We have people in the party who are running. The Governor of Oyo state has stated it clearly and he stands a good chance of winning the ticket.

“If he wins the ticket, I assure you he will defeat Tinubu in 2027. So what is this whole cry about Jonathan? I don’t understand what is going on in this country. Some people are calling Jonathan, others are calling for Tinubu, Atiku and all these old expired people.

“Why don’t we even support a new generation of leaders. By 2027, Makinde will be, I think, 59 years old. That’s what we need now. He has been tried in Oyo state, and he has performed extremely well, therefore, we don’t have a problem of who becomes the PDP candidate.

“But if Jonathan is to come, I just told you, my opinion, if he comes, I doubt he would be able to put together a number of delegates to defeat Makinde in the primaries.

“Secondly, it is not in the interest of PDP to field somebody who may become subject of litigation in the future.”

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Politics

ADC demands probe, autopsies over deaths of 37 illegal miners

Published

23 hours ago

September 18, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The African Democratic Congress has demanded an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 Nigerians in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday, the party called for independent autopsies, the publication of the victims’ identities and detention records, compensation for their families, and the prosecution of officials found responsible for the deaths.

Thirty-seven suspected illegal miners arrested in M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto villages in Niger State on Thursday died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Suberu Aniviye, in a statement said that the suspects were arrested during operations conducted on September 15 and 16.

Reacting, the ADC said the victims’ arrest during raids on mining sites did not extinguish their constitutional rights to life, dignity and due process, insisting that poverty, unemployment or allegations of illegal mining should not result in the loss of citizens’ lives.

The party stated, “Thirty-seven Nigerians entered government custody alive. Their families are now being asked to receive their bodies. This is an indictment of this government about the value of the average Nigerian life. Low-income Nigerians are not disposable, and no Nigerian should lose his or her life simply because they were arrested while struggling to survive.

“We must be clear: poverty is not a capital offence. Unemployment is not a death sentence. No accusation, whatever the case, gives any government institution the right to return citizens to their families in body bags.

“The incident cannot be separated from the worsening cost-of-living and unemployment crises that have pushed millions of Nigerians into desperate and dangerous means of survival.

“The same APC-led federal government that has failed to provide jobs is now criminalising the desperation created by its own policies. Food is unaffordable, transportation has become a luxury, businesses are closing and legitimate opportunities are disappearing. Yet, rather than confront these failures, the government continues to punish the victims of its failures.”

The ADC also alleged that the government targets poor miners for arrest while failing to identify and prosecute influential individuals and criminal networks involved in illegal mining.

It continued, “The poor are arrested for digging to survive, while the powerful men who finance illegal mining, sponsor insecurity and cart away Nigeria’s mineral wealth remain beyond the reach of the law. The Tinubu administration has made honest work scarce, survival expensive and insecurity profitable.

“President Tinubu must decide whether Nigeria’s security institutions exist to protect citizens or punish them for being poor. Nigerians need jobs, security and justice, not an economy that impoverishes them and institutions that treat their lives as disposable.”

Source: punchng.com

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Politics

SDP pledges to rebuild, transform Nigeria if elected in 2027

Published

23 hours ago

September 18, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Social Democratic Party has promised to liberate and rebuild Nigeria from its current socio-economic and insecurity challenges if elected in the 2027 general elections.

The National Chairman of the SDP, Prof Sadiq Gombe, made the pledge on Friday while receiving a delegation of the Confederation of West Africa Youth at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Gombe, represented by the party’s Deputy National Chairman, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, said the party’s ideology is anchored in Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution, particularly the welfare and security of Nigerians.

He said the growing interest of young Nigerians in the SDP indicated that the party’s message was gaining traction, adding that Nigeria had reached a point where it needed to be rebuilt.

“The SDP is a party that has its ideology threaded. This ideology is based on Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which talks about provision for the welfare and security of Nigerians. That is what guides the policies of this party.

“So I find it interesting that many Nigerian youths are taking interest in the party. It means that the message we are sending is getting through to the people. This country has derailed to a situation where we need to rebuild. And if you look at our message and the manifesto that was presented to the public last week, you will see a comprehensive programme for the transformation of this country.

“We cannot continue drifting. The SDP wants to put this country back on track. Fortunately, we have a presidential candidate who knows his onions, determined, young and ready to turn things around. So, we want to do something different that will lead to the liberation of this country if we come to power.”

Also speaking, the SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, urged members and supporters of the party to concentrate on grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Adebayo said political influence was ultimately determined at the community level, stressing that national visibility or eloquence would not translate into votes without effective engagement with voters at the polling-unit level.

He said, “Politics is done in the neighbourhoods. We have 176,846 polling units across the country. Any amount of command of English you have that does not convince your neighbour about how they are going to vote is wasted.

“Any influence you have from Timbuktu to Accra that cannot influence how people vote in the community where you come from, that influence is academic. So we must go back.

“Politics is not a game of the mouth. It’s a game of the heart because the burden of politics is not easy. It is the love of your country and the vision of the future that will make you last long in politics.”

The Regional President of the Confederation of West Africa Youth, Israel Akinola, who spoke during the visit, said Nigerians needed to pursue a new political direction ahead of the 2027 elections.

Akinola said public and private sector stakeholders must work together through public-private partnerships to drive development.

He also criticised the tendency of Nigerians to celebrate governments for providing basic services, which he described as citizens’ fundamental rights.

Source: punchng.com

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Politics

Toyin Abraham distances self from Lagos APC campaign council ahead of 2027 elections, see why

Published

1 day ago

September 18, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Actress Toyin Abraham has rejected her inclusion in the Lagos State All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, saying she is “staying out of politics” and asking the public to disregard her reported membership of the council.

Abraham was listed as a member of the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate of the campaign council unveiled by the Lagos APC on Thursday ahead of the 2027 elections. She was listed alongside actors Jide Kosoko, Eniola Badmus, Bimbo Akintola, Adebayo Salami, Saheed Balogun and Bukky Wright, as well as Fuji musicians including Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Obesere and Adewale Ayuba.

However, reacting to the list in an Instagram Story on Thursday, Abraham said she had not joined any campaign council and had recently made her position clear.

“I’m not a member of any campaign council. I have said it recently. I am staying out of politics. Please disregard the supposed inclusion of my name in any campaign committee,” she wrote.

The development comes three years after Abraham’s public support for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election triggered sustained criticism and personal attacks against her on social media.

In March 2023, the actress spoke about the backlash during a Twitter Space, saying some supporters of Peter Obi had petitioned Netflix to remove her films from its platform and had also targeted brands associated with her. She shared screenshots of messages urging Checkers Custard to drop her as an ambassador and described receiving daily curses and insults directed at her, her husband, Kolawole Ajeyemi, and their son.

The controversy resurfaced repeatedly after the election, with Abraham continuing to face criticism over her political choice. PUNCH reported in July 2024 that social media users continued to lambast the actress, while the situation escalated after she took action against individuals she said had made derogatory and defamatory comments about her and her family.

One of the incidents involved an X user identified as Big Ayo, who had made a post accusing Abraham of using money allegedly linked to Tinubu to pay for a hair transplant for her husband. Abraham denied the allegation and reported the matter to the cybercrime authorities.

She later clarified that she had not caused the arrest of the man’s mother, as had been alleged online, but had filed a petition over what she described as cyberbullying and defamatory content.

Big Ayo was subsequently released from police custody amid an online campaign and pleas calling for his release.

The arrest and its aftermath triggered another wave of criticism against Abraham. Some social media users threatened to report her films to streaming platforms, while others circulated messages urging Netflix to remove her movies.

Amid the controversy, Abraham made an emotional Instagram Live appearance in July 2024 in which she described the sustained online attacks and said she had been pushed to the limit.

“I want to die,” she said during the broadcast, while also saying that her child had been cursed and that she had been subjected to prolonged bullying and defamation. PUNCH reported that she said she had only exercised her rights as a citizen by filing a petition with the cybercrime department.

In another statement during the same period, Abraham said she could tolerate insults directed at her but would not accept attacks involving her children.

The actress’s latest decision to distance herself from political campaigning therefore follows a history of controversy surrounding her political involvement, particularly after her support for Tinubu in 2023.

The Lagos APC campaign council, meanwhile, lists Toke Benson-Awoyinka as Director of the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate, with Kosoko as Co-Director and Badmus as Deputy Director. Abraham remains listed as a member of the 33-person directorate in the published council document despite her public rejection of the reported appointment.

Source: punchng.com

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