Onanuga Dares Jonathan to 2027 Race, Slams ‘Dismal’ Record and PDP Plot
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Strategy, has openly challenged former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 election, stating that President Bola Tinubu would “wholeheartedly welcome him.” However, Onanuga warned Jonathan to be wary of his political cheerleaders and launched a blistering attack on his predecessor’s economic record.
In a statement released on Monday, Onanuga dismissed recent speculation driven by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana that Jonathan would run on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Onanuga referred to Gana’s push as “absurdity” and “comedy,” suggesting the former university don only seeks to satisfy “personal, political, religious, and ethnic interests” by luring Jonathan back into a race they would abandon him in, as they allegedly did in 2015.
Constitutional Hurdles and a ‘Disastrous’ Six Years
Onanuga affirmed Jonathan’s right to contest but quickly raised two significant hurdles the former President would face:
* Constitutional Eligibility: The Special Adviser questioned whether Jonathan, having been sworn in twice as president, is legally eligible to contest for a third term under the current constitutional requirements.
* Public Verdict: Onanuga asserted that Jonathan would have to reckon with the people who “voted him out in 2015” and determine if he has anything new to offer after his “disastrous six years.”
Jonathan’s Economic Legacy Under Fire
The statement focused heavily on the economic state of the country under Jonathan’s tenure, arguing that the nation’s downturn began under his watch.
Onanuga provided concrete figures to illustrate the alleged mismanagement:
* Inheritance vs. Departure: Jonathan inherited a total of $66 billion in 2010 ($46 billion in foreign reserves and $20 billion in the Excess Crude Account). By the time he left office in 2015, the foreign reserves had plummeted to below $30 billion, and the Excess Crude Account was depleted to just $2 billion. This depletion occurred despite the country generating record revenue from crude oil sales, with prices averaging $100 per barrel between 2010 and 2013.
* Salary Crisis: By December 2014, the Jonathan-led government was unable to pay Federal Civil Servants’ salaries, and at least 28 states owed huge salary arrears to workers.
The statement also alleged that the administration was “devoid of any clear economic agenda” and was marred by frivolous spending, the free distribution of security funds, and an allocation of foreign exchange to “business moguls” who pocketed the dollars without importing fuel.
Tinubu’s ‘Bold Decisions’ and Economic Gains
In stark contrast, Onanuga praised the Tinubu administration for taking “bold decisions” over the last 28 months, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and the abolition of multiple exchange rates. He stated that the President is now “fixing” the economy that the PDP had “broken.”
The Special Adviser pointed to several key macroeconomic gains:
* GDP Growth: Q2 of 2025 saw a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 4.23%, which is the highest in four years and surpassed the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) projection of 3.4%.
* Inflation Drop: Inflation reportedly decreased to 20.12% in August 2025, reaching its lowest level in three years.
* Foreign Reserves: Foreign reserves currently stand at $42.03 billion.
* Investor Confidence: Onanuga claimed the Naira has “virtually stabilised,” and “investor confidence in our economy has been restored.”
The statement concluded that the nation has “turned the corner” and that millions of Nigerians who remember the recent past would not allow Jonathan and his “co-travellers” to return and run the economy down again.
