Presidency has responded to reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan plans to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speculation over Jonathan’s return to active politics intensified at the weekend after former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Professor Jerry Gana, told journalists in Minna, Niger State, that the former president would run in 2027. According to Gana, Nigerians had “seen the difference” under subsequent administrations and were now calling for Jonathan’s comeback.

“In 2015, former President Goodluck Jonathan said his ambition was not worth the blood of Nigerians. After him, another President ruled for eight years, and now another has ruled for two years,” Gana said. “Nigerians have seen the difference, and the difference is very clear. I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the presidential election in 2027 as PDP candidate, and we should be prepared to vote for him to return as President again.”

Reacting on Monday night, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, said the Presidency welcomed Jonathan’s entry into the race but questioned both his eligibility and his record in office.

“We welcome Jonathan to the 2027 race, but the court will decide if someone who was sworn in twice as president satisfies the constitutional requirements and is eligible to contest the presidency again,” Onanuga stated.

The Presidency also criticised Jonathan’s administration, accusing him of leaving behind “a legacy of economic ruins” and cautioning Nigerians against what it described as attempts to “rewrite history.”

“The former president’s record led to the downfall of the economy, leaving the country in a challenging situation,” the statement read. “The PDP, after 16 years of bad governance, bequeathed a legacy of economic ruins. Professor Jerry Gana may delude himself that Jonathan can defeat President Tinubu, but Nigerians know better.”

Onanuga further warned Jonathan against “sugar-coated cheerleaders” within the PDP who, he said, abandoned him in 2015 and could do so again.

Citing economic figures, the Presidency recalled that Jonathan inherited $66 billion in reserves in 2010 but left office in 2015 with less than $30 billion, alongside a depleted Excess Crude Account of $2 billion, despite record oil revenues.

“It is on record that between 2010 and 2013, crude oil sold for an average of $100 per barrel. Yet, by December 2014, the Jonathan-led government could no longer pay federal civil servants. At least 28 states owed workers huge salary arrears,” the statement added.

Jonathan’s administration was also accused of mismanaging foreign exchange allocations and diverting security funds.

In contrast, Onanuga highlighted President Tinubu’s reforms, including fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which he said had helped stabilise the economy.

“GDP grew by 4.23% in Q2 2025, the highest in four years. Inflation dropped to 20.12% in August 2025, and foreign reserves now stand at $42.03 billion. Investor confidence has been restored,” he noted.

The Presidency concluded that while Jonathan and other aspirants were free to contest, Nigerians “who remember the recent past” would not allow the PDP to “run down the economy again.”