By Muhammad Mamman
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has hit back at Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo (SAN), and legal scholar, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, over their opposition to his speculated 2027 presidential bid, insisting he neither seeks nor requires their counsel.
Keyamo and Odinkalu had urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to field Jonathan, arguing that constitutional hurdles stood in the way since he had already been sworn in twice as president.
But in a strongly worded statement released on Monday through his brother, Azibaola Robert, Jonathan dismissed their objections as irrelevant, stressing that his eligibility was beyond doubt.
Robert, writing on his verified Facebook page, declared:
“Dear Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chidi Odinkalu (Prof.), greetings. For the record, all three of us are lawyers and were pro-democracy activists in the ’90s. I was, in fact, a better activist than both of you combined.
Rule No. 1: Do not offer legal advice where none is solicited. GEJ has at his disposal many more experienced, cerebral SANs who provide sound professional counsel.
Please note: GEJ is 100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest if he chooses. If he decides not to yield to the overwhelming calls to run, it will not be because he is unqualified. Your unsolicited legal view is of no concern to him. Don’t waste your time.
Or should I schedule a meeting so you can be properly educated on the existing court judgments — one of which your party, the APC, was directly involved in?”
In a lighter tone, he added: “This is not a confirmation that GEJ is running, though.”
Jonathan has yet to formally declare his intention for 2027, but speculation about a possible comeback has already stirred fierce political debate. Opponents argue that such a move could unsettle zoning arrangements and jeopardise the South’s hold on the presidency.
As the political temperature rises, Jonathan’s silence leaves both allies and rivals guessing, setting the stage for what could be one of the most contentious battles ahead of the 2027 elections.
