In what could become one of the most dramatic political comebacks in Nigeria’s history, former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is reportedly gearing up to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. A close ally of the former leader has confirmed that the Bayelsa-born politician has accepted growing calls to rejoin the race for Nigeria’s highest office, with plans already far advanced for his return under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The trusted associate, a senior PDP member, disclosed that Jonathan’s decision is rooted in his desire to tackle Nigeria’s deepening economic crisis, rising poverty, and the widespread hardship currently facing citizens. According to him, powerful political stakeholders and elder statesmen from across the country are backing the initiative to draft the former president back into the race, believing he possesses the experience and temperament to rescue the nation and restore economic stability.
Supporters of the “Jonathan 2027” project see a potential one-term presidency as a strategic solution, giving the south a final term through Jonathan and paving the way for a peaceful power transition back to the north in 2031. Since Jonathan has already served a full term, he is constitutionally allowed only one more four-year term, just like Tinubu if re-elected in 2027.
Behind-the-scenes consultations have already begun. Last weekend, Jonathan reportedly held a private meeting with former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida at his Hilltop residence in Minna, Niger State, to discuss his potential return. Although details of their conversation remain undisclosed, the source expressed confidence that the message was well received and that northern political circles are being properly aligned to support the bid.
Jonathan is also said to be actively engaging key stakeholders in the South-South region, holding closed-door meetings in Port Harcourt and other states to consolidate his grassroots base and gauge support among party loyalists.
Meanwhile, the PDP has intensified efforts to woo Jonathan back to frontline politics. The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, confirmed that a powerful coalition within the PDP, including influential governors and national leaders, has approached Jonathan to lead the party into the 2027 election. Speaking with the BBC Hausa Service, Abdullahi revealed that many Nigerians now regret voting Jonathan out of power in 2015 and are demanding his return, praising his previous achievements and leadership style.
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“Many Nigerians have come to realise the mistake they made in not re-electing Dr. Jonathan. They now acknowledge his achievements and are even apologising, pleading with him to return and rescue the country,” Abdullahi said.
He further added that as a loyal PDP member, Jonathan remains eligible and respected within the party ranks. The leadership believes his return would not only energize the base but offer a unifying figure capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu in a highly anticipated faceoff.
Sources also revealed that some senior PDP leaders recently travelled to The Gambia to meet Jonathan privately, in a bid to persuade him to accept the ticket. According to party insiders, Jonathan has begun laying down key conditions, such as clarity on whether he would contest in a competitive primary or be offered the ticket by consensus, and whether the party sincerely recognizes his unique capacity to lead in such a critical moment.
“He has started listening to the emissaries and is consulting with his inner circle,” Abdullahi confirmed.
With consultations deepening and public sentiment shifting, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s potential return in 2027 could reshape Nigeria’s political landscape. As pressure mounts and speculation grows, all eyes are now on the former president and whether he will once again rise to answer the call of a nation in distress.
