Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has advised ex-President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest the 2027 presidential election, warning that Nigeria’s political atmosphere has changed drastically compared to when he was in power.
Sani, who spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said speculations about Jonathan’s return to the ballot have been growing, especially amid debates about a one-term Southern presidency and the recent unveiling of a new opposition coalition floated by the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The outspoken former senator said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which Jonathan used to ride to victory in 2011, is no longer the same strong force it once was.
“Each time there is an election, the name of Jonathan comes up. But it is his choice to contest. However, I advise him not to do that because the PDP he used to know is not the PDP now,” Sani stated.
He explained that the party has become fragmented, with some of its leaders openly endorsing President Bola Tinubu, while others have joined the new opposition movement. “The PDP in the South-West is endorsing the president. Some members of the party are in the coalition. So, it is not the party he used to know. He shouldn’t waste his time,” he added.
The former lawmaker also dismissed the strength of the emerging coalition, saying its promoters lack ideology and are not offering Nigerians any real alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We are in a democracy, and it is within the law to have an opposition that will provide an alternative. But if their only plan is to remove Tinubu without presenting a different style of governance, then they have no agenda,” he said.
Sani argued that the coalition members are not ideologically distinct from Tinubu’s policies. According to him, their approach to governance still mirrors the economic programmes already being implemented by the current administration.
“The people that constitute the coalition today are not ideologically and philosophically different from the programmes which the Tinubu administration is prosecuting. So, it’s not like we have a Marxist against a Capitalist or a Neo-Liberal against a Conservative,” he explained.
He further noted that during their political campaigns and public engagements, the coalition’s members still promote liberal economic measures, such as subsidy removal and naira devaluation, which are the same policies Nigerians are already facing under Tinubu.
Speculation about Jonathan’s possible return has remained a recurring topic in Nigeria’s political discussions, especially as the PDP struggles with internal crises and power struggles. However, analysts say the former president has not made any clear statement regarding his 2027 ambition.
For now, Sani maintains that Jonathan would only be stepping into a political environment that has shifted greatly from when he was president. He believes Jonathan’s best option is to avoid the risk of re-entering a weakened PDP and a shallow opposition alliance that may not withstand the APC’s dominance in 2027.
