‘Why Goodluck Jonathan Can Not Contest In 2027 Presidential Election’

In recent days, former President, Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly been under pressure from certain Northern political elites to consider running for the presidency in the 2027 elections.

These individuals are said to be dissatisfied with the policies of the current administration under President Bola Tinubu, which they believe have contributed to the economic hardships currently being experienced across the country.

However, despite this mounting pressure, Jonathan is constitutionally barred from running for the presidency again due to an amendment to the Nigerian Constitution enacted in 2018.

This amendment, signed into law by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, restricts any individual who has served as Vice President or Deputy Governor and has succeeded their principal to only one further term in that same office.

The specific constitutional provision, known as Constitution Amendment Act Number 16, states that no person who has taken the oath of office as President or Governor more than once is eligible to contest for that office again.

Jonathan, who completed the term of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and subsequently won the 2011 presidential election, also ran in 2015 but was defeated by Buhari.

Given the provisions of this law, Jonathan is not eligible to contest the presidential election in 2027, despite the pressure from Northern political figures seeking an alternative to the current administration’s policies.