There is no gainsaying that Man is a political animal. That being the case, he is often associated with ambition. In its true perspective, it is the constitutional prerogative of any human-being to nurse and pursue any legitimate ambition. Ambition could be social, political, or economic or otherwise. It is man’s entitlement.
Currently trending, is the news that purports that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan wants to be the Presidential Flagbearer of Peoples Democratic Party in 2027 General election. Like it was stated in the preamble to this write-up, the former President has his constitutional right to aspire to run again for Nigeria’s most coveted seat in 2027. Interestingly, a Federal High Court in Abuja a few days ago confirmed the former President’s right to contest. In his judgment, His Lordship, Hon Justice Peter Lifu, stated that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had no constitutional hindrance pursuing his ambition.
Though the judgment is sound and favourable, there are realities that stand on the way of Jonathan’s aspiration. It is not that he will most likely fail in the election but that the election will avoidably derobe him of the honour that accompanies him as a widely acknowledged Statesman and Global Icon.
As a Man who, even as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, voluntarily accepted the result of 2015 Presidential Election which was against him, even before the announcement of the official result, President Jonathan had carved a niche for himself as a democratic Icon. He has since become an unquestionable example of who and what a Statesman should be. In Africa, he is looked upon as a formidable pillar of liberal democracy and statesmanship.
Those urging former President Jonathan to contest the 2027 Presidential Election may, after all, not mean well for him. In the first instance, Peoples Democratic Party that is reported he wants to contest on appears to have lost steam and may currently be in shambles. There appears to be a lot of legal uncertainties surrounding the status of the Party, in terms of its leadership. To many laymen, the status of the Party is not certain. Only legal minds could decipher what the true status is.
In addition, one could assume that with the plurality of State Governors being openly and solidly behind incumbent President Tinubu, the chances of any other Presidential Aspirant in 2027 will be very slim.
Besides, former President Jonathan’s aspiration in 2027, just like that of Mr Peter Obi, could be misconstrued or misinterpreted as an avoidable ploy to create undue advantage to the Presidential Candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who comes from the North and could probably, though not guaranteed, take advantage of the block votes in the North.
The truth of the matter is that 2027 will still be the turn of the South of Nigeria to occupy the Presidency of Nigeria. Any Southerner that allows himself or herself to be used to thwart that reality will not be judged fairly by time and history.
One important fact that must be mentioned here is that Atiku may not realistically claim ownership of majority of votes in the North. Contemporary North has long ceased to be the North of yesteryear when the Sultan of Sokoto and Prime-Minister of defunct Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, held sway. Many things have drastically changed. The heartless, reckless and brutal killings of other Northerners by the Fulani Islamist bandits and terrorists have made the North a different one all together.
In rounding off this piece, Equity Global Reporters Ltd honestly urges President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to have a rethink on his said aspiration towards 2027. It would be outrightly dishonourable for him to fall from his current olympian height of honour and respect into avoidable oblivion.
Sir Don Ubani is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, and Publisher of Equity Global Reporters Ltd.
Saturday (Afor) 30-05-2026.
