By John Umeh
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has pushed back against comments by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo (SAN), and legal scholar, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, who recently questioned the legality of a possible 2027 presidential run.
Both men had cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against offering Jonathan its ticket, insisting that his previous two swearing-ins as president would pose constitutional hurdles to any return bid.
But Jonathan, speaking through his younger brother, Azibaola Robert, dismissed their warnings, stressing that his qualification to contest was beyond doubt. In a statement shared on Robert’s verified Facebook page on Monday, he said Jonathan already had access to seasoned Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) who provided him with sound legal counsel and required no unsolicited advice from outsiders.
“Dear Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chidi Odinkalu (Prof.), I greet both of you,” Robert wrote. “For the records, three of us are lawyers. We were all pro-democracy activists in the 90s, and I was a better activist than both of you combined. Rule No. 1: Do not offer legal advice where none is solicited. GEJ has numerous, more cerebral, more experienced SANs at his disposal.”
He further argued that Jonathan remained “100% constitutionally and legally qualified” to contest the 2027 election if he chose to, adding that any decision to step aside would not be on the grounds of ineligibility. In a lighter tone, he quipped that he could even schedule a meeting to “educate” the duo on existing court judgments that affirm Jonathan’s qualification.
Although Jonathan has not officially declared his intentions for 2027, speculations about his return continue to generate debate across the political spectrum. Critics argue that a comeback could complicate the South’s zoning arrangements, while supporters believe he remains a unifying figure with national appeal.
For now, Jonathan has kept his cards close to his chest, but the sharp exchanges underscore the intensifying political battle lines being drawn as the 2027 presidential race inches closer.
