Key Points
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Wike insists Jonathan’s 2027 political comeback could spark dangerous crisis.
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PDP and APC factions continue fueling speculation over Jonathan’s return.
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Strong calls grow urging younger leaders to emerge in 2027.
Nyesom Wike, who used to be the governor of Rivers State in Nigeria, has strongly warned against attempts to get former President Goodluck Jonathan to run for president in 2027, calling these efforts “a dangerous gamble that could plunge the country into crisis.”
Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, said during a meeting with political allies in Port Harcourt that people who were trying to get Jonathan’s name into the presidential race were “just looking for trouble” in a country that is still dealing with economic problems and weak unity.
Wike warns against Jonathan’s return in 2027
Wike said that Jonathan’s time as president ended in 2015 when he lost to Muhammadu Buhari. This move earned him praise around the world for protecting democracy. He said that bringing back his candidacy would only make things worse. Wike said, “It’s not fair to keep dragging him into political fights he’s already left honorably.”
According to a report by the Punch news, He said that people in both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were spreading rumors for their own gain. He went on to say, “Nigerians want solutions, not more arguments about who should be in charge.”
Political speculation is back in the news thanks to Jonathan’s name
Jonathan was president from 2010 to 2015. Since then, he has mostly stayed out of the public eye, working on peacekeeping missions in Mali and South Sudan and other parts of Africa. Even though he hasn’t said anything, his name comes up from time to time as members of both parties try out different options for 2027.
Kassim Afegbua, a former PDP spokesman, recently put an end to the rumors by saying that Jonathan had “given his best and should remain a statesman.”
Femi Fani-Kayode, a leader in the APC, has publicly said that Jonathan could become a consensus figure if political divisions get worse. These two different points of view show how unsure people are about the ex-president’s political relevance.
The 2027 race makes things more tense between political groups
Wike said that telling Jonathan to come back would be like “setting Nigeria on a collision course.” Instead, he told the PDP to unite behind younger leaders and earn voters’ trust.
Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, a political commentator at the Centre for Democracy and Development, said that Wike’s warning showed that people are worried about Nigeria’s politics going in circles. “We can’t keep putting the same leaders in charge,” he told reporters.
“The Jonathan 2027 comeback debate takes attention away from important changes that the country really needs.”
As parties start to get ready for 2027, Wike’s comments show how tensions are growing between Nigeria’s power blocs. Jonathan’s legacy still shapes debates about the country’s democratic future, whether he steps in or stays out of it.
