Former President Goodluck Jonathan has pushed back against Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo (SAN), and legal scholar, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, for questioning his eligibility to run in the 2027 presidential race.
He warned them to steer clear of his political decisions, insisting he does not need unsolicited advice.
Keyamo and Odinkalu had publicly urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to consider Jonathan for its ticket, claiming his return bid would be blocked by constitutional hurdles since he has already been sworn in twice as president.
But Jonathan, speaking through his brother, Azibaola Robert, dismissed their objections in a strongly worded statement posted on Facebook.
Robert wrote, “Dear Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chidi Odinkalu (Prof.), I greet both of you. For the records, 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?”
In a lighter note, Robert added, “This is not a confirmation that GEJ is running, though.”
Although Jonathan has yet to formally declare for 2027, his rumoured ambition continues to stir political debate, with some opponents warning that his return could undermine the South’s chances of holding onto the presidency.
