Following the moves by the People Democratic Party (PDP) to drag former President Goodluck Jonathan into the presidential race in 2027, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that Nigeria has moved on from politics of sentiment.
Lagos APC Spokesman, Seye Oladejo in a statement issued Friday said the party has observed with keen interest the growing speculation surrounding the possible return of Jonathan to the 2027 presidential race.
According to him, While we acknowledge the former president’s role in the peaceful democratic transition of 2015 — an act that rightly earned him praise at home and abroad — we must state, in clear terms, that Nigeria has since moved beyond the politics of sentiment, nostalgia, and symbolism.
Oladejo noted that the challenges of today and the future require bold, capable, and forward-thinking leadership — not a return to the comfort of a past that was far from perfect.
He added: “Let it be clear: Goodluck alone is not a governance strategy. The Jonathan administration, from 2010 to 2015, left behind a country grappling with severe structural weaknesses — from unchecked corruption to alarming insecurity and economic inertia.
“Nigerians still remember the massive fuel subsidy scandal, the billions unaccounted for in the oil sector, and the tragic inertia during the early days of Boko Haram’s insurgency, culminating in the infamous Chibok girls’ abduction.
“While some may look back on those years with rose-tinted glasses, we must remind ourselves that nostalgia is not a policy platform.
“Emotion cannot drive economic reform, and sentimentality will not fix power generation, insecurity, youth unemployment, or education sector decay.”
Oladejo stressed that the former president’s political relevance has been complicated by his recent engagements across party lines.
He noted that his flirtation with the APC and absence from PDP’s strategic rebuilding efforts raise questions about his loyalty, clarity of vision, and political intentions.
The spokesman pointed thatAPC remained focused on consolidating progress, implementing reforms, and engaging the Nigerian electorate with fresh ideas and credible candidates who reflect the aspirations of a dynamic, youthful population.
Oladejo said the party believed that the future of Nigeria does not lie in recycled leadership but in visionary governance rooted in integrity, innovation, and resilience.
He said while Jonathan remained a respected elder statesman, his legacy as a peaceful democrat is assured, but legacies are not manifestos, and nostalgia is not governance.
The party, therefore, urged Nigerians to reject emotional shortcuts and stay focused on the need for capable, accountable, and transformative leadership.