Politics
2027: Why Northern Leaders Prefer Jonathan To Peter Obi
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A coalition of Northern political leaders has reportedly launched a campaign to persuade former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election against the aspiration of many others for Peter Obi.
The strategic move towards Jonathan in 2027 is in response to the growing dissatisfaction within the Northern region over the current administration’s performance.
GWG.ng reports that the only main rival to Jonathan in 2027 for the Northern political class which is peeved by what it believes as the short end of the stick it has received from President Bola Tinubu is Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party.
While many youths in the region are beleived to be increasingly looking at Obi, the elders in the region believe that Jonathan will be a more strategic choice for the region because of the term limit that binds him to a single term.
“The North cannot afford to have Peter Obi run for two terms despite assurances his people are saying that he would serve only one term,” a prominent political actor from the region told GWG.ng
“The North is too desperate for power and cannot afford to stay out of power for more than eight years and that is the problem the Peter Obi option has,” the Northern political leader said.
The campaign for Jonathan has garnered support from notable Northern figures, including Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who has publicly endorsed the idea of Jonathan’s candidacy. Mohammed has even suggested that he would withdraw from the presidential race if Jonathan decides to run, adding further weight to the speculation surrounding Jonathan’s potential return to the political arena.
Northern elites advocating for Jonathanās candidacy view him as a leader capable of addressing pressing regional challenges, such as the Almajiri system and youth unemployment. They believe that his previous experience in governance, coupled with his inclusive approach, could bring much-needed stability and progress to the region.
Despite the mounting support, sources close to Jonathan have downplayed the former president’s involvement in the 2027 presidential race. According to insiders, Jonathan is currently focused on his international assignments and humanitarian efforts, and any talk of his potential candidacy is premature.
“This talk about running or not running is way too early in the scheme of things. The former President is focusing on his international assignments and humanitarian works rather than concern himself with a potential run for President in 2027,” a source close to Jonathan revealed.
Even more, strategic political actors in the North believe that fielding Jonathan
This development follows the recent circulation of Jonathan’s campaign posters on social media, which had already sparked speculation about his political future.
GWG.ng reports that before the chorus for Jonathan to be a candidate in 2027 that a similar move ahead of 2023 collapsed as the former president did not buy into the plan.
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