The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a swipe at former President Goodluck Jonathan and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following claims by Professor Jerry Gana that Jonathan will contest the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement on Tuesday by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, the Lagos APC mocked the PDP’s alleged plan to return Jonathan to Aso Rock, describing it as a desperate political move rooted in nostalgia rather than competence.
Reacting to Gana’s declaration that Jonathan will contest and return to the Villa in 2027, the APC said the former president would need “an overdose of good luck” to stand any realistic chance of winning the presidency again.
“Elections are contests of ideas, competence and delivery – not nostalgia or recycled rhetoric,” the APC said.
“Prof. Gana’s certainty that a particular individual ‘will’ be the PDP candidate or that Nigerians are clamouring for a return to the past is premature and political theatre.”
The party criticised Gana’s comments as both presumptuous and undemocratic, accusing the PDP of sidelining internal democratic processes in favour of imposed candidatures. It also questioned Gana’s political relevance, stating that despite decades in the corridors of power, he has little legacy to show.
“The likes of Prof. Gana may well be advised not to unnecessarily heat the polity by embarking on lawless campaigns before the official ban on electioneering is lifted, thereby underscoring once again their undemocratic credentials and disregard for due process,” the statement continued.
The APC urged the PDP and its “cheerleaders” to allow Jonathan to enjoy his retirement, warning that a political comeback could damage the legacy he earned for peacefully conceding defeat in 2015.
“If he chooses to run, President Jonathan will need more than an overdose of good luck to stand a chance. The landmines before him are numerous – legal, records, and fundamental questions of capacity,” the party said, adding that any attempt to return him to office would face serious scrutiny from Nigerians.
The statement also reaffirmed the APC’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration, citing ongoing economic reforms, infrastructure development, and social intervention programmes as evidence of a government focused on the future rather than the past.
“Lagos APC stands firmly behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda to fix the economy and build infrastructure that creates jobs and improves lives. We will continue to defend policies that prioritise the future over the past,” Oladejo noted.
The party challenged the PDP to present clear, detailed policy proposals rather than relying on emotional appeals and “divisive nostalgia”, urging Nigerians to judge political parties based on their records and plans.
Meanwhile, Prof. Gana had over the weekend stated during the PDP Congress in Minna, Niger State, that Jonathan would contest the 2027 election and reclaim power on the strength of his past leadership and current public sentiment.
“In 2015, former President Goodluck Jonathan said his ambition was not worth the blood of Nigerians. After him, another president ruled for eight years, and now another has ruled for two years.
“Nigerians have seen the difference, and the difference is very clear. Nigerians are now asking us to bring back our friend, former President Goodluck Jonathan,” Gana said.
