Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan met with African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu‑Deen in Abuja on Friday to discuss the nation’s challenges and the outlook for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, the ADC’s media office said on Saturday.
The two men, who have a long‑standing professional relationship dating back to Jonathan’s administration, reviewed a range of issues, including security, the cost of living and job creation. Hayatu‑Deen, who recently collected his ADC presidential nomination form from the party’s national secretariat, formally informed Jonathan of his intention to run in the 2027 presidential race.
Hayatu‑Deen’s résumé includes service as a member of the National Council on Privatization and chairmanship of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) when Jonathan served as vice‑president. He later joined the Presidential Advisory Committee during Jonathan’s stint as acting president and continued on the committee after Jonathan was elected president.
In his statement, the ADC media office described Hayatu‑Deen as an economist and banker with four decades of experience in both public and private sectors. His career, the statement noted, has been marked by contributions to job creation and institutional reforms across Nigeria.
During the meeting, Hayatu‑Deen praised Jonathan’s record on democratic governance and electoral integrity, calling the former president a respected statesman in Africa. Jonathan responded by welcoming Hayatu‑Deen’s candidacy and wishing him success in his political endeavour.
Hayatu‑Deen said he intends to draw on his extensive experience to tackle insecurity, curb inflationary pressures and generate employment opportunities for Nigerians if elected president. The discussion underscored the continued influence of former office‑holders in shaping Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
