Amid the Peoples Democratic Party’s lingering leadership crisis, former President Goodluck Jonathan is emerging as a major option for the Seyi Makinde and Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the party.
After months of quietly wooing the former president, sources close to his camp say Jonathan is now considering a return to the presidential race on the PDP platform ahead of the 2027 general election.
However, one thing appears certain: Jonathan’s path back to the presidency will not be an easy one, especially with the Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the PDP, believed to enjoy the support of loyalists of President Bola Tinubu, remaining firmly opposed to rival power blocs within the party.
Jonathan had earlier told supporters urging him to contest that he would consult widely before taking a final decision. However, sources within his camp now claim he has resolved to join the race.
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The source said Jonathan believes he can offer solutions to Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship and rising poverty if given another opportunity to lead the country.
The development has already triggered sharp reactions across the political space, with some stakeholders backing his constitutional right to contest, while others warned him against returning to what they described as Nigeria’s increasingly toxic political environment.
At the same time, fresh legal battles over Jonathan’s eligibility are resurfacing, reviving constitutional questions that first emerged before the 2015 presidential election.
Groups Battle to Secure Jonathan’s N100m Nomination Form
Groups linked to Jonathan’s possible ambition are reportedly competing over who will purchase the PDP presidential nomination form for him. The opposition party fixed the cost of the form at N100 million.
Sources said several support groups are racing against time to secure the form before the submission deadline.
Among the groups mobilising support are the Goodluckan Movement, Coalition for Jonathan, Goodies Movement, the New Nigeria Movement, Almajiri Network, Arewa for Good Governance, Northern Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan and the North Youth Progressive Movement.
The groups are said to have pledged to raise the required funds for the nomination form.
PDP Registration Deepens Speculation Over Jonathan’s Ambition
The PDP leadership had earlier fuelled speculation about Jonathan’s possible return after confirming he completed his online registration with the party earlier this year.
PDP spokesman, Ini Ememobong, said the former president had fulfilled the party’s registration requirements, noting that Jonathan’s media team had not denied reports linking him to the PDP.
Jonathan’s renewed political moves come years after a northern group purchased the APC presidential nomination form for him ahead of the 2023 election, a move he later distanced himself from.
The former president has now approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge a suit seeking to stop him from contesting on the grounds that he has already served two terms in office.
The latest legal challenge has reopened constitutional debates surrounding Jonathan’s eligibility to seek another term.
How Jonathan’s Eligibility Battle Began
The legal dispute over Jonathan’s eligibility first surfaced ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
In a suit filed before an FCT High Court in Abuja, Cyriacus Njoku argued that Jonathan’s assumption of office in May 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua should count as a full presidential term.
Njoku maintained that Jonathan’s subsequent election in 2011 meant he had exhausted the constitutional two-term limit and should not be allowed to contest the 2015 election.
Jonathan’s legal team, however, argued that he had only been elected president once — in 2011 — since his emergence in 2010 was through constitutional succession and not by election.
In March 2013, the FCT High Court ruled in Jonathan’s favour, holding that section 137(1)(b) of the constitution only applies to a person elected president in two previous elections.
The court ruled that Jonathan’s 2010 oath of office followed constitutional succession and could not be regarded as an election.
Appeal Court Upheld Jonathan’s Eligibility
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Njoku approached the Court of Appeal.
However, in March 2015, the appellate court affirmed the earlier judgement, holding that Jonathan’s succession after Yar’Adua’s death did not amount to an election because no voting process took place.
The court further ruled that constitutional succession under section 146(1) of the 1999 Constitution could not be interpreted as an election for the purpose of disqualifying a candidate.
2018 Constitutional Amendment Changed Legal Landscape
The constitutional landscape changed in 2018 when the National Assembly introduced section 137(3) through an amendment to the 1999 Constitution.
The provision states that anyone sworn in to complete the tenure of another elected president cannot later be elected to the office more than once.
The amendment was widely viewed as directly addressing situations similar to Jonathan’s succession in 2010.
2022 Suit Reopened Debate Ahead of Election
The issue resurfaced again in 2022 when two plaintiffs approached a Federal High Court in Bayelsa, seeking to stop Jonathan from contesting the presidential election under the APC platform.
The plaintiffs argued that under the amended constitution, Jonathan’s completion of Yar’Adua’s tenure in 2010 and subsequent election in 2011 barred him from seeking another term.
Jonathan’s lawyers countered that the 2018 constitutional amendment could not be applied retroactively because his political rights existed before the amendment came into effect.
The Federal High Court agreed with Jonathan’s position, ruling that section 137(3) could not be used retroactively to stop him from contesting future elections.
The court also reaffirmed that Jonathan had only been elected president once.
In the latest suit, Jonathan’s legal team, led by Chris Uche, argued that the issue had already been settled by competent courts and that the fresh case amounted to an attempt to relitigate matters already decided by the judiciary.
Afenifere, MBF, CAN React to Jonathan’s Possible Return
Jonathan’s possible return has continued to divide opinion among political and socio-cultural groups.
Leader of Afenifere, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, said Jonathan must have carefully weighed his chances before considering another presidential bid.
“He must have his reasons for coming out at this time. But there are still many political hurdles before him,” Olaitan said.
The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, advised Jonathan to stay away from active politics to preserve the statesman image he built after leaving office.
MBF President Dr Bitrus Pogu warned that the current political atmosphere could damage Jonathan’s reputation.
“He ended well and earned global respect. He should avoid today’s dirty politics,” Pogu stated.
Founder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Chekwas Okorie, also urged Jonathan not to return to partisan politics, saying his peaceful acceptance of defeat in 2015 elevated his global image.
CAN Warns of Opposition Vote Split
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, expressed concern that Jonathan’s return could further divide opposition votes ahead of the 2027 election.
A senior CAN official said the emergence of multiple strong candidates from different regions may ultimately favour the ruling party.
“If Jonathan takes the South-South and Obi dominates the South-East, while Atiku and Kwankwaso split the North, the opposition may struggle again,” the cleric said.
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, reiterated its position that power should remain in the South in 2027 but said it had yet to take an official stand on Jonathan’s reported ambition.
PDP Crisis, Internal Division Raise Fresh Questions
Former presidential adviser Akin Osuntokun described Jonathan as a longstanding strategic option for northern political interests because of the North-South power rotation arrangement.
He, however, questioned whether Jonathan had secured assurances that the PDP had resolved its internal legal and leadership disputes.
Meanwhile, the national treasurer of the Wike-backed PDP faction, Diran Odeyemi, warned Jonathan against allowing himself to be drawn into political battles within the party.
Odeyemi argued that Jonathan had not been active in PDP affairs since leaving office and advised him not to risk his reputation.
The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, also distanced itself from any presidential aspirant ahead of the 2027 election.
NEF spokesman Prof. Jika Jiddere said the forum was non-partisan and was not backing Jonathan, President Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.