‘A Specter Haunts Nigerian Politics’, Udenta Hints At Ex-President Jonathan’s Comeback

A fresh wave of uncertainty is rippling through Nigeria’s political landscape as speculations grow over a possible return of former President Goodluck Jonathan to active politics.

Prof. Udenta Udenta, political strategist and founding national secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), warned that the ‘specter’ of Jonathan’s possible comeback was already unsettling the country’s ruling elite. He made this known during an interview on Arise News Channel’s breakfast programme – The Morning Show – on Tuesday.

“Somehow, for some reasons, a specter is haunting the Nigerian political space. That specter is much more acute within the rise of a hegemonic power bloc,” Udenta declared. “This power bloc is composed of top members of the parliament, presidential power brokers, including noisy aides of the president, distracted ministers, and others with dubious agendas.”

According to him, this specter was none other than former President Goodluck Jonathan’s possible bid for the presidency in the 2027 general election.

“That specter is Goodluck Jonathan’s coming,” he said. “You will recall that slightly more than 10 years ago, the historic moment when former President Jonathan picked his phone and made a call to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari: ‘I lost, you won, congratulations,’ set a tone for a new direction, a new conversation for democracy and its consolidation in Africa — not just Nigeria. It was the brightest moment of the reawakening of democratic sensibilities and consciousness.”

Udenta noted that Jonathan’s concession in 2015 election elevated him as a global statesman and one of Africa’s leading democratic figures.

“Ten years down the line, as a global statesman and a leading African, the news is now down the line that former President Jonathan may contest for election, even though he has not spoken. That’s why the rank of the power brokers are frightened, and it is understandable why there is confusion in their ranks,” Udenta explained.

Though Jonathan has not confirmed any fresh shot at political office, reports have suggested that some parties have asked the former president to contest for the 2027 election.