Former Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has advised ex-President Goodluck Jonathan not to bow to pressure from groups urging him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Sagay said Jonathan’s decision in 2015 to peacefully hand over power after losing the election to Muhammadu Buhari earned him national and global respect. Contesting again, he argued, would “dent his image” and end in defeat.
“He left office with great honour in 2015. To return in 2027 will be a mistake. He should maintain his statesmanship rather than risk losing the respect he has globally,” Sagay told Daily Independent.
Echoing the same position, former Edo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Kassim Afegbua, warned that Jonathan’s democratic credentials would be “rubbished” if he attempted a comeback. Afegbua said those pushing him to run are only trying to squander his goodwill, adding that he would likely lose against President Bola Tinubu if the latter seeks reelection.
Meanwhile, the Obidient Movement has denied reports that it begged Jonathan to step aside for Labour Party’s Peter Obi ahead of 2027. The group’s coordinator, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, clarified that they only appealed for Jonathan to reciprocate Obi’s past support, not to “step down.”
Jonathan has not made any statement on whether he intends to run.
