Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike said those pushing former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election are only seeking to create problems for the country.
Wike served in Jonathan’s government, and like Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, are loyal to him.
But Wike who is former Rivers State governor, said the move to draft Jonathan to the presidential race in 2027, is a recipe for political conflict.
The minister who has already promised to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, explained that some politicians want Jonathan to come back on the promise that he would serve only one term.
He said the same people urging Jonathan to run were the ones who abandoned him during the 2015 elections.
According to him, Jonathan’s name is already respected worldwide.
He said the former president has established himself as an international statesman and should not be dragged back into local political battles, adding that those calling for Jonathan’s return do not mean well for him or for the country.
The former governor said their aim is to use him for their selfish interests and to destabilise the political order, and questioned why people who rejected Jonathan in 2015 would suddenly find him suitable in 2027.
Wike argued that their sudden interest was not about leadership but about creating division, and warned that such a political scheme would only reopen old wounds and fuel unnecessary conflict in Nigeria.
According to him, Jonathan had made sacrifices for the nation and deserved respect, not manipulation, adding that
the idea of Jonathan serving one term should not even be considered.
Rather, Wike described it as a trap that would divide the country further instead of uniting it, and advised that the country should focus on stability, peace, and unity instead of plots that could trigger crisis.
“Anybody saying Jonathan should return because he will only do one term is only looking for a crisis.
“These are the same people who abandoned him in 2015. Why now? Jonathan has made a name for himself globally and they just want to drag him into unnecessary conflict,” Wike said.
It is not known if Wike’s advise is out of his genuine loyal to Jonathan or because he has already pledged to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Jonathan’s candidature would put him in a difficult situation.
