Onoh urges Jonathan not to run in 2027, cites risk to legacy

The Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly and former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, Denge (Dr.) Josef Onoh, has urged former President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest the 2027 presidential election.

In an open letter issued on Wednesday, Onoh described Jonathan as a respected global statesman whose decision to concede defeat in 2015 demonstrated democratic maturity.

“President Jonathan’s act in 2015 remains a shining example of democratic maturity and statesmanship not only in Nigeria but across Africa and the world.

“He chose peace and the sanctity of lives over clinging to power. That singular decision cemented his place as a respected elder statesman. Returning to the arena now risks tarnishing that invaluable legacy,”Onoh said.

Onoh argued that political realities make a Jonathan victory in 2027 unlikely. He said that President Tinubu’s bid for re-election would secure strong support in the Southwest, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC’s Peter Obi commands significant backing in the Southeast and among youth voters, leading to a split of southern votes.

“This is not speculation but basic political arithmetic,” Onoh stated. “Tinubu dominates the Southwest machinery and votes. Obi commands loyalty in the Southeast and substantial crossover in the South-South. A Jonathan entry fragments the southern votes, making it mathematically near-impossible to secure the required nationwide majority and 25% in enough states.”

He also pointed to divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party and the ruling APC’s control of federal structures as additional obstacles.

Onoh recalled defending Jonathan’s eligibility to run in 2024 and supporting him during the 2010 Doctrine of Necessity episode. He said that despite that support, entering a race he is unlikely to win would damage Jonathan’s legacy.

“President Jonathan should recall that last year, I defended his eligibility to run for office. However, that eligibility should not propel him into a contest that leads to failure and damage to his hard-earned image,” he said.

Onoh warned Jonathan against pressure from political actors who he said contributed to his 2015 defeat and now seek to use him for their own interests.

“History will judge harshly if you allow yourself to be used as a pawn and discarded afterward. Your place in history is already secured as the man who prioritized Nigeria’s stability,” Onoh concluded, quoting the adage: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”