FORMER Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has advised former President Goodluck Jonathan to protect his political legacy by resisting pressures from those allegedly urging him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme monitored by News Point Nigeria, the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) warned that only Jonathan’s “political enemies” would want him to throw his hat back into the ring, stressing that such a move would erode the goodwill and statesmanship image he has built since leaving office in 2015.
“Only his enemy would want former President Jonathan to contest again,” Oshiomhole said.
“He left behind a legacy of conceding defeat and promoting peace. He should retain that legacy rather than allowing desperate politicians to drag him back into the murky waters of partisan politics.”
Oshiomhole reminded viewers that Jonathan had already been defeated in 2015 by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, emphasizing that the ruling party remains too formidable to be challenged by the same opposition figures who have consistently failed to unseat it.
He said, “If Jonathan decides to contest, the APC will defeat him again in 2027, that’s certain.”
The outspoken lawmaker also dismissed the political ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, saying both men have a consistent history of electoral failure both as allies and as rivals.
Oshiomhole, who appeared visibly confident during the interview, ridiculed speculations that the duo’s recent alignment under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition could pose a serious threat to the APC in 2027.
“Did Atiku not run with Obi before? Were they not defeated?” Oshiomhole asked rhetorically.
“They have a history of being defeated together and a history of being defeated apart. If they come back together again, they will still be defeated.”
He noted that Atiku and Obi, who came second and third respectively in the 2023 presidential election, remain popular only within limited circles but lack the nationwide political structure and grassroots reach to dislodge the ruling party.
Atiku was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in 2023, while Obi flew the Labour Party (LP) flag. Both men polled a combined total of over 12 million votes, coming behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, who was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Oshiomhole reaffirmed the APC’s confidence ahead of 2027, boasting that the ruling party’s performance, leadership strength, and organizational machinery would ensure another decisive victory.
“The APC remains the only truly national party that understands Nigeria’s diversity and aspirations,” he said.
“No amount of coalition or recycled ambition from the opposition will change that reality.”
He urged Nigerians to judge political actors not by “empty promises” but by “tested capacity and proven record of governance,” noting that most opposition figures had already had their chances and failed.
Former President Jonathan, who led Nigeria between 2010 and 2015, is being speculated in some quarters to be under pressure from political associates to make a comeback in 2027, a move that has generated intense debate within the country’s political space.
Similarly, Atiku Abubakar, who has contested for president six times, and Peter Obi, whose youthful support base shrinks, have recently revived talks about forming a “stronger opposition alliance” under a new coalition platform.
However, Oshiomhole’s comments underscore the APC’s confidence and its readiness to defend its dominance as Nigeria’s ruling party.