2027 Elections: Oshiomhole Says APC Will Defeat Jonathan If He Runs

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, has dismissed the possibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan posing a threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Oshiomhole argued that Jonathan’s influence in the South-South region had diminished since 2015, weakening his political base.

“We will defeat him flatly if he comes out because now, the South-South is no longer PDP, so where is he going to start from?” Oshiomhole asked.

The former Edo State governor noted that Jonathan’s legacy could be undermined if he re-entered the political arena, warning that only those who do not wish him well would encourage such a move.

“How can Jonathan be a threat? We defeated him before, when PDP was truly PDP. If a man had a PDP at its best, at its peak, and he was defeated, I think only his enemy will push him to go into election,” he said.

Oshiomhole advised Jonathan to protect his image as a respected statesman rather than attempt a comeback after serving eight years.

“If I were able to advise him, I will say, Sir, maintain this status. You governed for eight years; you don’t have to govern for nine years. He has managed to demonstrate that out of power, you can be relevant and be at peace,” Oshiomhole said.

He praised Jonathan’s historic concession in 2015, describing it as a decision that elevated his global stature. According to Oshiomhole, Jonathan’s famous words — that his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian — should remain his lasting legacy.

Similarly, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, the 2023 Lagos governorship candidate of the PDP, popularly known as Jandor, also urged Jonathan to ignore calls to return, warning that those encouraging him were misleading him and that he would be outmatched by President Bola Tinubu at the polls.

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