Senator Adams Oshiomhole has issued a stern warning to former President Goodluck Jonathan, urging him to resist any temptation to return to partisan politics, particularly the 2027 presidential election.

 

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former Edo State Governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said Jonathan risks tarnishing the legacy of statesmanship he built after peacefully conceding defeat in 2015.

 

“Only his enemy would want him to return to the political arena,” Oshiomhole said. “How can Jonathan be a threat? We defeated him before when the PDP was truly PDP.”

 

Oshiomhole argued that Jonathan’s political relevance had declined since leaving office, especially within his South-South base, which he claimed is no longer a PDP stronghold.

 

“If a man had PDP at its best, at its peak, and he was defeated, I think only his enemy will push him to go into election,” the senator noted. “If I were able to advise him, I would say, ‘Sir, maintain this status. You governed for eight years, you don’t have to govern for nine.’”

 

The APC senator emphasized that Jonathan has done well to remain influential without holding political office and should not endanger that reputation by succumbing to political pressure.

 

“Jonathan has managed to demonstrate that out of power, you can be relevant and at peace,” Oshiomhole said. “We will defeat him if he comes out very flatly because now the South-South is no longer PDP. So where is he going to start from?”

 

While Jonathan has not declared any intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, speculation has persisted amid internal tensions within the opposition and realignments in the political space.

 

Oshiomhole’s remarks come at a time when several political actors are subtly positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.