2027 Presidency: Jonathan Clashes with Keyamo, Odinkalu as Wike, Atiku Weigh In

The build-up to Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election intensified yesterday as former President Goodluck Jonathan, through his brother Robert Azibaola, lashed out at Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo and legal scholar Professor Chidi Odinkalu for opposing his rumored presidential ambition.

Keyamo and Odinkalu had urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to offer Jonathan its ticket, warning that any such attempt would face a legal challenge since the former leader had already been sworn in twice.

In a strongly worded Facebook post, Azibaola accused both men of meddling in Jonathan’s affairs, insisting that the former president is “100% constitutionally and legally qualified” to contest if he chooses. He stressed that Jonathan has access to seasoned legal advisers and does not require unsolicited counsel.

While Jonathan has not formally declared his intention to run, the speculation has already sparked sharp political reactions.

Speaking in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike cautioned Jonathan against being misled into contesting, warning that such a move could destabilize the PDP. He argued that Jonathan should protect his international reputation rather than allow the same political actors who “played him in 2015” to deceive him again.

Wike also dismissed suggestions of drafting former Anambra governor Peter Obi into the PDP race, calling it a “recipe for disaster.” According to him, Obi once described the PDP as corrupt and should not return to pursue presidential ambition under its platform.

Turning to the ruling party, Wike expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027. He ridiculed former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai’s claim that Tinubu would finish third, saying the projection was “mathematically faulty” since it failed to identify who would come first and second. Wike added “I will put a bet—Tinubu will win this election squarely.”

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar maintained that the outcome of the 2027 polls will be determined by Nigerians themselves, not by the dominance of APC or PDP.

Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, noted that the emerging coalition around the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is gaining traction, citing the recent defection of 5,000 PDP stakeholders in Lagos as proof of momentum. “The most important element is the Nigerian people,” he said, stressing that rising civic engagement could reshape the political landscape ahead of 2027.