Human rights lawyer and political analyst Dele Farotimi has questioned the renewed push by some politicians for former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Reports indicate that speculation over Jonathan’s possible return on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been gaining ground. However, in an interview, Farotimi wondered why the same political class that vilified and voted out Jonathan in 2015 now considers him a viable option.

Farotimi argued that Jonathan was removed from office for valid reasons and cautioned that those expecting him to deliver a political miracle would be disappointed. He maintained that replacing President Bola Tinubu with Jonathan would not solve Nigeria’s structural challenges, stressing that the country does not need a “saviour” but leaders committed to building lasting systems.

“This was the same Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who was vilified and labeled. The press, pulpits, and mosques declared his removal would solve Nigeria’s problems, but here we are, going back into the past to dig up the past. That was how we dug up the one that just expired,” Farotimi said.

“We are not looking for saviours; it’s about building systems, building a country. How do you rebrand the failure of 2015 into a saint and saviour in 2027? They want to bring Goodluck Jonathan because it is the safe option for them.

“There were valid reasons 10 years ago to have him removed, but people never asked what it truly meant to change leadership. They focused on the promise of change and were sold an illusion. Now, a decade later, we are back at the same point. I would like to know what exactly Jonathan might offer this time that is different from what led to his removal.”