Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has said that only those who do not mean well for former President Goodluck Jonathan would encourage him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Oshiomhole stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, reacting to reports suggesting that some political groups were urging Jonathan to return to the race.
According to the former Edo State governor, Jonathan’s record in office should have convinced him to remain a respected elder statesman rather than return to partisan politics.
Only Jonathan’s enemies would want him to contest again,” Oshiomhole said. “He has had his time and should now enjoy the respect that comes with being an ex-president. Trying to bring him back into the ring will only expose him to unnecessary ridicule.”
Oshiomhole noted that Nigeria’s current political environment requires fresh ideas and renewed energy to tackle the nation’s economic and security challenges, not a return to what he described as “old battles and failed experiments.”
He also urged politicians to stop exploiting Jonathan’s name for political gain, saying the former president deserves national honour, not political manipulation.
Jonathan should not allow anyone to use him as a pawn. He has contributed his quota, and history will remember him for peacefully handing over power in 2015 — that’s a legacy he must protect.”
The senator reaffirmed his support for the Bola Tinubu administration, stating that the current government is focused on rebuilding the economy and restoring public confidence.
He also advised the opposition to concentrate on constructive criticism rather than promoting recycled political ambitions.
