A relative of former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that he is qualified to run in the 2027 general elections. Azibaola Robert, a cousin of Jonathan, made this claim amid growing support for the former president as a potential opposition candidate against incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Jonathan served as President of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, first taking office as acting president after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He later won the 2011 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) banner. Currently, Nigeria’s opposition is divided between the PDP and the Labour Party, with key figures like Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar’s political plans uncertain.
Some stakeholders believe Jonathan’s national appeal and experience make him the strongest candidate to unify the opposition and challenge the APC. However, his potential candidacy has sparked debate, with some arguing that he is constitutionally ineligible to run. Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Minister of Aviation, and Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a human rights lawyer, have expressed concerns about Jonathan’s eligibility.
In response, Azibaola Robert emphasized that Jonathan is 100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest the elections if he chooses to. As a lawyer and former pro-democracy activist, Robert noted that Jonathan has access to experienced legal advisors and that his decision to run or not would not be based on eligibility concerns. Robert’s statement aims to clarify Jonathan’s eligibility, citing subsisting court judgments, including one involving the APC.
The development comes as Nigeria’s political landscape continues to evolve, with the 2027 elections approaching. The discussions around Jonathan’s potential candidacy highlight the complexities of Nigerian politics and the ongoing debates about the country’s leadership. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Jonathan will heed the calls to contest the elections and how his candidacy might impact the political landscape.
