As someone who worked closely within the 2014 and 2015 re-election campaign of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan through the Office of the Honourable Minister of Works, Dr Mike Onolememen, I witnessed first-hand the immense pressures, expectations, and responsibilities that come with the highest office in the land. I also witnessed the grace with which Dr Jonathan exited that stage, choosing national peace over personal power in a rare and historic moment of democratic maturity.
Since then, President Jonathan has evolved into one of Africa’s most respected statesmen.
His post-presidency trajectory has been marked by an admirable transition into global diplomacy and peacebuilding. As a United Nations envoy and a trusted mediator across conflict-prone regions in Africa, his voice now carries the moral authority of someone who once held power and willingly relinquished it for the greater good.
It is for these reasons and more that any attempt or suggestion for him to return to partisan politics in Nigeria, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections, must be firmly resisted. To re-enter the fray would not only be a strategic misstep; it would risk tarnishing a legacy that has become a continental reference point for democratic integrity.
Dr Jonathan’s concession following the 2015 presidential election was a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history. In a region too often plagued by sit-tight leaders and constitutional manipulation, he stood apart. That singular act of political sportsmanship elevated him far above the typical political class. It earned him global recognition, and rightly so. Today, he commands respect not merely as a former president but as a symbol of restraint, wisdom, and statesmanship.
This legacy is not just personal. It is institutional. It serves as a reference for future African leaders. Any return to active Nigerian politics could erode that symbolic power, transforming an elder statesman into just another political actor in an arena that has grown increasingly transactional and cynical.
The current political climate in Nigeria is volatile, polarized, and deeply transactional. Gone are the days when ideology or national interest defined political alignment. In their place, we find opportunism, shifting loyalties, and the subversion of institutions for personal or sectional gain.
Figures like Nyesom Wike and Nasir El Rufai exemplify this emerging political culture. They are shrewd, unrelenting, and often unbothered by the long-term implications of their actions on national unity or democratic ethics. For someone of Dr Jonathan’s stature to return to this environment would be to subject himself to a system that no longer shares the values he once stood for. Worse still, he would risk being manipulated by political actors whose aims are entirely self-serving.
Some argue that Dr Jonathan’s return to politics would rescue Nigeria from its current trajectory. But true relevance does not require a return to power. In fact, the most impactful leaders in history often wielded their greatest influence outside formal office. Dr Jonathan’s ongoing work in conflict resolution, democratic strengthening, and regional diplomacy is living proof of that.
Moreover, any attempt to mount a presidential bid in 2027 would inevitably be seen not as an act of national service but as a pursuit of personal relevance. Such a move would invite scrutiny, suspicion, and potentially ridicule not just from political opponents but from the very citizens who once admired his graceful exit.
It is not lost on discerning Nigerians that those peddling the idea of a Jonathan comeback are mostly political actors who have lost personal relevance. They seek to ride on his lingering popularity to catapult themselves back into the corridors of power. It is opportunism masquerading as loyalty.
Dr Jonathan is far too astute to be used as a political pawn in this manner. He understands more than most that leadership is not just about occupying office. It is about timing, wisdom, and legacy. He will not allow his name to be weaponised by disgruntled politicians whose only interest is in leveraging his stature for their gain.
At this point in his life and career, President Jonathan has found a higher calling, one that transcends the limitations of Nigerian politics. He is now a continental figure, trusted by governments and international bodies alike. His neutrality and moral authority have made him an effective agent of peace in countries where diplomacy often fails. Why trade that for the chaos and moral ambiguity of partisan politics?
To return to the Nigerian political arena would be to step down, not up.
Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has already made history, not just as a former president but as a man who changed the narrative of political leadership in Africa. That legacy is intact and flourishing on the global stage. Preserving it is not just in his interest. It is in Nigeria’s and Africa’s interest too.
As someone who worked under his leadership during one of the most challenging periods in Nigeria’s democratic journey, I make bold to state: President Jonathan is satisfied with his current status in the international community. He has moved on from partisan politics, and rightly so. He understands, perhaps better than anyone, that power is not the only path to impact.
Nigeria does not need more politicians. It needs more statesmen.
And thankfully, in Dr Jonathan, we already have one.
Deacon Darlington Okpebholo Ray, MSc, Asoc CIPD, is a Journalist, fellow of the British College of Journalism, Human Resource Management Expert (CIPD), PhD student in International Politics and Conflicts Resolution, Sociopolitical Rights Activist and Publisher of Truth Live News. He writes from Greenwich, London, England.