“Jonathan’s return would be back to his vomit” — Chilaka, others warn Jonathan against 2027 bid

Political analyst Prince Francis Chilaka, has warned former President Goodluck Jonathan against returning to the presidential race, saying such a move could damage the statesman image he has built since leaving office.

Mr Chilaka made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on VOPTV’s VOP This Morning programme, while discussing emerging political alliances and recent endorsements ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“If Jonathan is a smart man… it’s not proper for him to go back to his vomit. If Jonathan makes that mistake of coming back, everything he has built so far will be thrown to the gutters,” he said.

Speculation around Mr Jonathan’s political future has resurfaced amid ongoing opposition realignments and coalition talks ahead of the 2027 elections, although the former president has not publicly declared any intention to contest.

Mr Chilaka argued that Mr Jonathan’s post-presidency reputation has largely been shaped by his peaceful concession of defeat in 2015 and his role as an elder statesman across Africa.

According to him, a return to partisan presidential politics could erode the goodwill and international respect the former leader currently enjoys.

NDC convention and opposition calculations

The debate followed the recent convention of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Abuja, where the party ratified the zoning of its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.

Political observers believe the decision is aimed at creating room for a possible alliance involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Another analyst on the programme, Ahmed Mubarak, said northern political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is part of a long-term zoning calculation.

“They just want the South to quickly complete four more years so that the North can have the moral justification to say power should return back to the North,” Mr Mubarak stated.

He argued that some northern political interests now favour a “four-plus-four” arrangement that would allow the region to legitimately seek power again in 2031.

Analysts doubt opposition strength

Mr Mubarak also said the opposition remains fragmented and may struggle to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress effectively.

“The opposition is very, very divided… They are splitting the vote again, the same mechanism that took place in 2023,” he said.

Another panelist, Mr Elvis, argued that incumbency advantage continues to favour President Tinubu ahead of 2027.

“The vote is already intact because the president has said grab it, snatch it, and run with it,” he alleged.

Electoral integrity concerns

The analysts further expressed concerns over Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that reforms remain necessary to restore public confidence in democracy.

Mr Chilaka criticised what he described as the rewarding of officials linked to controversial electoral incidents.

“When you have a man who tells you there’s a glitch and this same administration rewards him with an ambassadorial post, it means we have opened up our flanks for glitches to continue,” he said.

He maintained that electoral transparency remains more critical than regional power rotation in determining Nigeria’s democratic future.

The discussion reflects increasing political tension and strategic positioning among opposition figures and ruling party loyalists as the race toward the 2027 general election gradually intensifies.

With coalition talks, zoning debates, and electoral reform concerns dominating political discourse, analysts say the coming months could shape the structure of Nigeria’s next major political contest.