2027: Shehu Sani, Tsado Clash Over Jonathan’s Participation
Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani and ex-presidential aspirant on the African Democratic Party (ADP) platform, Mathias Tsado, disagreed yesterday over whether former President Goodluck Jonathan should contest the 2027 elections.
Sani urged Jonathan to resist pressures to run, warning that a return to partisan politics could undermine his current respect and legacy both within and outside Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC, he said, “Even in previous election cycles like 2019 and 2023, similar calls were made for Jonathan to return, but he wisely declined after foreseeing the risks it could pose to his image and legacy.”
According to him, Jonathan’s stature as a respected statesman will be better preserved if he stayed away from the current political fray. “The PDP of today is not the same party that brought him to power. The crisis within it shows clearly that it is no longer the PDP he once knew,” Sani added.
Tsado, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, urged Jonathan to consider running.
“Yes, he has not declared that he wants to run for election, but for somebody like me, I am praying for a day that will come, when President Goodluck Jonathan will declare and say, ‘I want to run’.
“Those who have his contacts, those who have access to him, should speak to him. They should point out the other rumours around in 2023 that he was going to run and all that.
“There were rumours, but this time around, they should tell him], ‘Please come around, sir, because Nigerian people today need you’.”
Tsado also praised Jonathan’s 2015 concession to Buhari, “In fact, he demonstrated he’s not somebody who is desperate to be in government. You remember when he said his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, and someone said recently that President Goodluck Jonathan lost the election in 2015 but gained the people. At the moment, I think that is what is working for him.
“You see, the position that President Goodluck, former President Goodluck Jonathan, finds himself today is a position that most politicians are yearning for.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
