A cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola, has publicly criticized Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo and legal scholar Prof. Chidi Odinkalu for their opposition to the political speculation that Jonathan may be considering a run in the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Monday, Azibaola’s comments followed a report that Keyamo had warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against offering Jonathan its ticket. Keyamo had argued that a third-term bid would face legal hurdles, given that Jonathan had already been sworn in twice as president.

However, Azibaola stated that Jonathan does not need “unsolicited legal advice,” and asserted that the former president is “100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest, if he chooses to.”

The full statement from Azibaola read: “Dear Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chidi Odinkalu (Prof), I greet both of you. For the record, three of us are lawyers. We were all pro-democracy activists in the ’90s, and I was a better activist than both of you combined.

“Rule No. 1: Do not offer legal advice where none is solicited. GEJ (PDP) has numerous, more cerebral, more experienced SANs at his disposal who give him sound, unblemished professional legal advice.

“Please note: GEJ is 100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest, if he chooses to. 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 not of any concern to him and will never be. Don’t waste your precious time dwelling on this. Or should I schedule a meeting so you can be properly educated on the subsisting court judgments on the matter—one of which your party, APC, was a party to?”

Azibaola concluded by clarifying, “This is not a confirmation that GEJ is running, though.”

While Jonathan has not made a formal declaration, his potential return to the political arena for the 2027 presidential race has already sparked considerable debate within political circles.