Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has said he will not publicly criticize or comment on former President Goodluck Jonathan despite mounting speculation over Jonathan’s possible return to the presidential race in 2027.
Omokri, who served as a media adviser during Jonathan’s administration, made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Friday. He explained that his personal loyalty and affection for the former president prevent him from analyzing or questioning Jonathan’s political decisions on live television.
“I have an unconditional love for President Jonathan and so I will not criticise or give an opinion on anything he does on live television,” Omokri stated. He went on to highlight the depth of his relationship with Jonathan, recalling that the ex-president once visited him in California, where he spent ten days with him and his family.
Jonathan, who governed Nigeria between 2010 and 2015, became president after the death of Musa Yar’Adua in 2010. He later contested the 2011 election and won, but lost his reelection bid in 2015 to Muhammadu Buhari. Since leaving office, Jonathan has largely stayed away from partisan politics, though he has remained active on the African diplomatic stage, frequently leading international peace and election observer missions.
However, a decade after leaving office, calls for Jonathan to stage a comeback in 2027 are gaining traction. Some stakeholders within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are pushing for him to return to the political arena and contest on the party’s platform.
On Thursday, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who also serves as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, declared that the party’s door remains open for Jonathan should he choose to contest. Mohammed described the former president as “one of the most celebrated politicians today” and said Jonathan would be a strong candidate for the party.
The renewed interest in Jonathan’s political future comes as the PDP continues to grapple with internal divisions and seeks a candidate who could unite the opposition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general election. Jonathan’s name has surfaced repeatedly as a possible consensus candidate, particularly given his reputation for conceding defeat in 2015 and his continued popularity among certain political blocs in the country.
For his part, Omokri has made clear that his loyalty to Jonathan outweighs any expectation for objective commentary in the media. While he has often engaged in robust political debates on Nigerian governance and opposition politics, his stance shows he will remain silent in public discussions about Jonathan’s potential candidacy.
As of now, Jonathan himself has not made any statement regarding the calls for his comeback. His silence has left many speculating about whether he will consider returning to frontline politics or continue focusing on his international engagements.
The debate over Jonathan’s possible return highlights the PDP’s search for a strong figure ahead of 2027 and the role of loyalty, personal relationships, and political legacies in shaping Nigeria’s political discourse.
