Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has cautioned ex-President Goodluck Jonathan against contesting in the 2027 presidential election.
Oshiomhole stated this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
According to Oshiomhole, contesting the election would damage President Jonathan’s legacy, and only his enemies would want him to throw his hat into the ring.
Senator Oshiomhole believed that Jonathan’s decision to contest would be a step backward, considering his defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
“How can Jonathan be a threat? We defeated him before when PDP was truly PDP,” Oshiomhole said.
He emphasised that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would easily defeat Jonathan if he chose to contest.
Oshiomhole urged Jonathan to maintain his statesmanlike reputation and avoid tarnishing the respect he earned after conceding defeat in 2015.
“If I were able to advise him, I will say, ‘Sir, maintain this status’. You governed for eight years, you don’t have to govern for nine,” Oshiomhole stated.
Other notable figures, such as Kenneth Okonkwo, a former Labour Party chieftain, have also advised Jonathan against contesting in the 2027 presidential election.
Okonkwo warned that Jonathan’s enemies would seize the opportunity to drag his name through the mud, given their current influence in government.
Jonathan’s decision on whether to contest the 2027 presidential election remained uncertain.
However, with the APC’s current strength and Jonathan’s weakened political base in the South-South region, his chances of winning appear slim.
Oshiomhole also expressed confidence that APC would emerge victorious in the 2027 presidential election, dismissing the chances of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Governor Peter Obi.
Oshiomhole, a lawmaker representing Edo North at the National Assembly, based his prediction on the historical performance of Atiku and Obi in previous elections.
He noted that when Atiku and Obi ran together, they were roundly defeated by the APC.
“Did Atiku not run with Obi before and contested against the APC? Were they not defeated?” Oshiomhole questioned.
The former governor emphasised that Atiku and Obi have a history of being defeated together and separately.
“They have a history of being defeated together and they have a history of being defeated apart. So, if they come back together, they will still be defeated,” he added.
Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in 2023, and Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, garnered combined votes of over 12 million but lost to President Bola Tinubu.
The two opposition leaders now belong to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition.
