The Presidency has responded to speculations that former President Goodluck Jonathan may enter the 2027 presidential race.

This followed a statement by elder statesman and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Prof. Jerry Gana, who claimed Jonathan would contest the presidency on the PDP platform.

Reacting, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, said Jonathan’s eligibility remains a matter for the courts, as the former president had already been sworn in twice.

The Presidency accused Jonathan of presiding over economic decline during his time in office, insisting that the country is still recovering from the damages.

In its statement, the Presidency described Gana’s comment as “absurd,” accusing the PDP of attempting to “prematurely foist” the 2027 race on the nation in a bid to challenge President Tinubu despite his “giant economic strides.”

According to the Presidency, Jonathan’s record in office left Nigeria in “dire straits,” pointing to alleged reckless spending, corruption in foreign exchange allocations, and the depletion of both foreign reserves and the Excess Crude Account despite high oil revenues.

It noted that Jonathan inherited $66 billion in reserves in 2010 but left behind less than $30 billion in 2015, with the Excess Crude Account reduced from $20 billion to $2 billion. By 2014, it added, many states could no longer pay salaries.

The Presidency also accused Jonathan’s administration of mismanaging security funds and failing to implement a clear economic agenda.

On the other hand, it highlighted Tinubu’s reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and the unification of exchange rates, as measures that have restored stability. It cited GDP growth of 4.23% in Q2 2025, inflation reduction to 20.12% in August 2025, foreign reserves of $42.03 billion, and renewed investor confidence.

“President Jonathan reserves the right to run if he wishes. However, the courts will ultimately decide whether he is constitutionally qualified to do so,” the statement read.

The Presidency warned Jonathan to be cautious of PDP figures like Prof. Gana, alleging they only seek to exploit his candidacy for personal, political, and ethnic interests.

It concluded that Nigerians would judge Jonathan based on his past record, insisting the electorate will not allow a return to what it described as years of economic mismanagement.