By John Umeh
Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has advised former President Goodluck Jonathan not to heed calls to contest the 2027 presidential election, warning that such a move would be a “serious political miscalculation.”
Adediran, the Lead Visioner of the Lagos4Lagos Movement and the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2023 governorship candidate in Lagos, gave the advice during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
He argued that President Bola Tinubu’s political experience, popularity, and strategy make him virtually unbeatable at the polls. “Those urging Jonathan to run against Tinubu are deceiving him,” Jandor said, adding that the former president would be risking a “humiliating defeat” if he attempted a comeback.
Comparing the two leaders, Adediran noted that Tinubu “fought his way to the presidency against all odds,” while Jonathan’s rise to Aso Rock was more circumstantial. “Such a man cannot be put side by side with someone who just found himself in the seat of power,” he said.
Jandor also commended President Tinubu for his economic reforms, particularly the removal of the fuel subsidy and efforts to stabilize the foreign exchange market, which he said have significantly increased allocations to states and local governments. He urged state and local governments to use these funds to cushion the effects of the reforms on Nigerians.
Acknowledging that the reforms have brought temporary hardship, Adediran maintained that the President’s policies are already yielding benefits at the macro level and will soon trickle down to the grassroots. He further called on the Nigerian Armed Forces to support the government in tackling security challenges.
Adediran concluded by advising Jonathan to listen to his wife, Patience Jonathan, who has also reportedly urged him not to contest the 2027 presidency.
