By Felix Ofou
Social scientists and political analysts have long agreed that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan lost the 2015 elections chiefly as a result of conspiracy by the Northern oligarchy. It was not account of incompetence or that he was clueless, as some people wanted us to believe.
Following the sudden death of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the take over of the presidency by Jonathan, two years into the administration, some power mongers from the North came up with the campaign that the region had been short changed. This was after the same power brokers had failed to prevent Jonathan from taking over as provided for in the Constitution.
The resistance to Jonathan’s presidency stemmed from the argument that it was the turn of the North to rule. This was after former President Olusegun Obasanjo, from the South, had ruled for eight years. The northern oligarchs felt that in the spirit of rotation must stay within their zone for the same eight years.
But the National Assembly, in the spirit of the Constitution, came up with the now famous doctrine of necessity, which paved the way for Jonathan to be sworn in as President. The Bayelsa State born statesman not only completed Yar’Adua’s tenure, but also did another term of his own.
Following Jonathan’s announcement of intent to run for another tenure, the oligarchs vowed to stop him. They mobilized the North across party lines. Leaders from the then ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) converged in the interest of the North to have Jonathan removed.
So intense was the conspiracy that even the PDP national chairman, Alhaji Adam Muazu worked against his party’s presidential candidate. Likewise the Governors from the North. The forces united to ensure that Jonathan did not get a second term, thereby ensuring that the South did not rule for 10 years in addition to the eight already spent by Obasanjo.
But there is no doubt that Jonathan’s era represents part of the glory days in Nigeria. We had a robust economy with healthy foreign reserves, making the country the largest economy in Africa. The growth rate stood at over six percent and unemployment rate was far lower than what became of it after Jonathan was edged out.
Unfortunately, Jonathan’s insistence to deal terrorism a deadly blow was met by fierce resistance from young Turks from the North. Efforts by the former President’s army chief, General Charles Ihejirika to wipe out Boko Haram was thwarted through evil machinations, betrayal and political manipulations, which culminated in the kidnapping of the Chibok girls.
It was therefore no surprise that late President Muhammadu Buhari who took over from Jonathan in 2015 enthroned unbridled nepotism and bigotry never witnessed in Nigeria since her independence in 1960. Buhari’s mishandling of the economy and the crash in living standards of the citizenry was a desperate bid to wipe out Jonathan’s legacies.
It is interesting however, that the same political schisms which plagued Jonathan’s administration have reared their ugly head again, with a section of the North insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must not be allowed to do a second term, totalling eight years in office.
Suddenly, there is a gathering of a Northern platoon of disgruntled religionists and political jobbers campaigning that Tinubu must not stay a single day in office beyond May 29, 2027. These elements are busy mobilizing and recruiting people with so called like minds to do their bidding.
Sadly, speculations are rife that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been identified as a likely candidate to challenge Tinubu in 2027. Although still at the realm of speculation, the reasoning behind such a move, we are told, is because Jonathan will only be entitled to a single term, having served the first between 2011 and 2015.
Apparently, the Northern oligarchy is unhappy that with Tinubu spent eight years in office, that the South would have done 18 years by 2031 compared to the North’s 10 years. It does not matter if President Tinubu is performing well in office or wether he is entitled to a second term.
This is why I am afraid of Jonathan’s link to these Northern oligarchs. Why is he suddenly been considered to do the dirty job? Why would he allow himself to be used as guinea pig for a proxy war between the North and the South? Does he think that these men bent on recruiting him to run in 2027 truly like him?
For me, Jonathan should perish the thought of running in 2027. After all, the forces at war presently conspired to edge him out of office. He should allow them to stew in their own pepper soup. He should not take the bait to engage in a vengeful adventure.
Fortunately, President Jonathan has become an international statesman and the poster boy of modern democracy. Anything that will detract from the shining cloak that the world has decorated him with must be avoided. The call to run is an evil cry to tarnish the image of the ex President.
Jonathan should know that there are dark days ahead in the evil plot to unseat President Tinubu. The days of long knives are still ahead. He would do well to avoid the chicanery of a tiny clique who feel they were born to rule and that it is their prerogative to determine the destiny of Nigeria with over 200 million people.
*Deja’vu on The Southerner Newspaper
Thursday, August 28, 2025
