The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a playful jab at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regarding rumors of former President Goodluck Jonathan potentially being their candidate for the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Reports indicate that some discontented northern elites and politicians, dissatisfied with President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, are advocating for Jonathan’s return to power.
In response, the APC has characterized the opposition’s efforts as a sign of desperation. Bala Ibrahim, the party’s National Director of Publicity, expressed in an interview with Punch that if Jonathan were to run against Tinubu under the PDP banner, he would once again face the harsh reality of defeat.
Ibrahim remarked, “Discussing the 2027 elections at this stage is not just premature but also a misguided calculation. The current President has yet to fully utilize even 40% of the mandate granted to him by the APC. There’s no reason for the APC to feel anxious about any plans involving former President Goodluck Jonathan entering the race.”
He added, “The APC won against him during his presidency. Defeating him now, while he’s out of office, would be an effortless task. This is not something that keeps us awake at night. Anyone who believes they can intimidate the APC with such discussions needs to reassess their strategy. We remain unfazed.”
He further stated, “Let’s focus on the present instead of worrying about the future. It’s far too early to be discussing 2027. Even if you were to line up ten former President Jonathans, they wouldn’t be able to outmatch the APC at this time.”
When confronted with the notion that many political analysts attribute the APC’s victory over Jonathan to former President Muhammadu Buhari’s strong support in 2015, Ibrahim chuckled.
“The fact remains that the APC triumphed over Goodluck Jonathan when the current President (Tinubu) was leading the party. We will defeat him again now that Tinubu is at the helm. It’s irrelevant whether Buhari had a dedicated following; what matters is the party’s structure. Buhari did not run as an independent candidate.
“Disregard the theatrics currently unfolding. When election time arrives, the party will present its candidate to the electorate. I am confident that the people will embrace that choice. However, it’s premature to delve into this topic right now.”
“Politicians often stir up the political landscape to maintain relevance. With just over a year into the current four-year term, it seems too soon to be suggesting new candidates. But hey, democracy allows for exploration of such ideas. We will act when the time is right,” he concluded.
