Jonathan – The New Fear in APC’s Corridors of Power
By Matthew Eloyi
When a government begins to dedicate long, winding press statements to attack a man who has not even declared his political intention, Nigerians should pause and ask: what exactly is the ruling party afraid of?
A fresh press release from the Presidency, signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, purportedly “welcomes” former President Goodluck Jonathan to the 2027 presidential race but spends over a thousand words dismantling his record and warning him against the “sugar-coated” cheerleaders of the opposition.
On the surface, the statement is cleverly wrapped in mockery and ridicule, rehashing all the criticisms that have long been deployed against Jonathan since 2015: economic mismanagement, corruption scandals, depleted reserves, and the like. Yet beneath this bravado lies a much bigger question: if Jonathan is truly a “spent force” and “a man Nigerians voted out,” why is the Presidency so agitated at the mere suggestion of his return?
The truth is that Goodluck Jonathan represents a unique kind of political phantom haunting the All Progressives Congress (APC). In 2015, Jonathan was the softest punching bag for a coalition desperate to wrest power from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He became the symbol of inefficiency, the face of corruption, and the excuse for Nigeria’s failings. Nigerians bought into that narrative and voted him out.
Ten years later, however, APC is struggling with the irony of its own governance record. Inflation remains biting despite the self-congratulation of official statisticians. Food prices are climbing, insecurity still troubles many regions, and the much-vaunted “bold reforms” of President Tinubu have yet to translate into relief for the masses.
In this context, the mention of Jonathan’s name reawakens two fears for APC: one, that Nigerians might begin to draw comparisons between “yesterday and today”; and two, that Jonathan still carries a symbolic weight in certain regions and among a cross-section of Nigerians tired of the endless recycling of the same faces.
The ferocity of Onanuga’s statement suggests a pre-emptive strike. It is almost as though APC is campaigning against Jonathan even before he utters a single word of intent. The tone betrays nervousness. Why caution Jonathan against being “lured into the race” if the party is so confident he cannot win? Why spend paragraphs recounting his failures if Nigerians supposedly “cannot forget” them?
The answer is simple: Jonathan is no longer just a man; he is a potential rallying point. His entry into the 2027 race, no matter how slim his chances, threatens to upset the carefully constructed narrative of APC dominance.
Despite the bruises of 2015, Jonathan retains a rare advantage in Nigeria’s toxic political landscape: the perception of humility, simplicity, and lack of vindictiveness. His post-presidency conduct (calm, conciliatory, and statesmanlike) has earned him respect beyond Nigeria, with regular invitations to mediate in African elections. That global profile contrasts sharply with the combative image of the current government.
For many Nigerians enduring hardship, Jonathan’s era, once painted as disastrous, is now nostalgically remembered as “the days when a bag of rice was affordable, when the naira still had dignity, and when fuel was not a luxury.” This selective nostalgia, whether accurate or not, is potent in politics.
The presidency claims Jonathan “will have his date in the court of the land” over eligibility, citing the constitutional debate about whether he can seek another term. But even this line of attack reveals the undercurrent of fear: the more Jonathan is entangled in legal and political battles, the less oxygen he has to build momentum.
If APC were truly unbothered, it would have dismissed Jerry Gana’s suggestion with a shrug, not a full-blown Shakespearean essay. The energy expended on Jonathan’s shadow is telling. He has, without saying a word, forced the ruling party to reveal its insecurities.
Rather than demonising Jonathan once again, the presidency should focus on delivering genuine relief to Nigerians. If Tinubu’s reforms are indeed yielding the “giant strides” Onanuga boasts of, then the ballot box in 2027 will speak for itself. No amount of nostalgia, no old foe, will defeat a government that truly transforms lives.
But if hardship persists, APC may find that Jonathan, whether he runs or not, becomes the symbol of a national protest vote. In politics, perception often trumps reality, and the more the ruling party rails against him, the more Nigerians are reminded that Jonathan is still very much alive in their political imagination.
For now, one thing is clear: Jonathan has become the new fear stalking the corridors of APC and the Presidency.