Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, has claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan would stand little chance against the All Progressives Congress (APC) if he chooses to run in the 2027 presidential election.
In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Oshiomhole suggested that Jonathan’s political influence in the South-South region has waned since 2015, making it challenging for him to mount a serious challenge to the APC.
“We will defeat him flatly if he comes out because now, the South-South is no longer PDP. So where is he going to start from?” Oshiomhole asked.
He cautioned that only those who do not wish Jonathan well would encourage him to re-enter the political arena, warning that such a move could damage the former president’s hard-earned legacy.
“How can Jonathan be a threat? We defeated him before, when the PDP was truly at its peak. If a man had a PDP at its best and was defeated, only his enemies would push him to run again,” Oshiomhole stated.
He advised Jonathan to maintain his respected status as a statesman rather than seek another term after already serving eight years. “If I were able to advise him, I would say, Sir, maintain this status. You governed for eight years; you don’t have to govern for nine years,” he remarked. Oshiomhole commended Jonathan for his historic concession after the 2015 election, which elevated his stature globally.
Similarly, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, the 2023 PDP governorship candidate, urged Jonathan not to heed calls to run for the presidency in 2027, suggesting it would be a political risk for him.
Oshiomhole emphasized that Jonathan’s quote about his blood not being worth the blood of any Nigerian should remain a significant part of his legacy, asserting that the ex-president would be reduced to a minor player by President Bola Tinubu in any electoral contest.
Adediran echoed this sentiment, advising Jonathan to enjoy his retirement and not be misled by those encouraging him to run against Tinubu.
