The publisher of NN News Media, Nkiruka Nistoran, has weighed in on the evolving political permutations ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
Posting via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Nistoran highlighted a critical political reality often overlooked by supporters of Peter Obi, popularly known as “Obidients.”
“One thing many Obidients fail to grasp is this: if the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar doesn’t secure the ticket, the former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi won’t either,” she wrote.
Nistoran suggested that in such a scenario, the North is more likely to support former President Goodluck Jonathan as a compromise candidate. According to her, Northern political stakeholders believe Jonathan, if re-elected, will serve only one term and then return power to the North in 2031 a strategic move they are unlikely to expect from Obi.
“Make no mistake, the North will never fully trust PO’s four-year pledge,” Nistoran stated “The most realistic opportunity he might have in 2027 is the Vice Presidency. And if he misses that, his chances of ever becoming President are slim potentially setting the South-East back politically in Nigeria.”
Adding weight to these claims, NN News Media reports that Goodluck Jonathan has already accepted calls to contest the 2027 presidential election. A high-ranking source within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) disclosed:
“The decision has been made. He’s accepted to run. He wants to offer leadership once again to address the poverty, insecurity, and economic hardship currently ravaging the country.
Although Jonathan has yet to publicly announce his candidacy, his potential return is already sparking reactions from political circles. Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), described Jonathan as an “attractive candidate” ahead of the 2027 race.
“He hasn’t officially declared, but his name continues to surface in ongoing political alignments. The idea of Jonathan returning is clearly rooted in strategic calculations, especially from the North,” Muhammad-Baba explained.
As the race to 2027 intensifies, Nigeria’s political landscape is beginning to shape up around key figures with Jonathan potentially emerging as the North’s preferred unifying choice, should Atiku and Obi fail to build the necessary cross-regional alliances.
