ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, has advised former President Goodluck Jonathan to stay away from the 2027 presidential race, warning that a return to active partisan politics could undermine his legacy as a respected statesman.
Ndukuba gave the counsel on Saturday while addressing the First Session of the 13th Synod of the Diocese of Abuja in Abuja.
He said Jonathan had already secured a strong place in history, particularly for his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution and his widely praised concession of defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
According to him, the former president should focus on preserving his image as a national and international statesman rather than returning to electoral politics.
“We don’t want you to spoil that good name and please, keep off for now, let them just play it. Be the senior citizen that you should be,” Ndukuba said.
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The cleric further commended Jonathan’s leadership record, describing him as a symbol of democratic maturity whose legacy extends beyond Nigeria to the West African sub-region, ECOWAS and the African continent.
“You are a symbol that should stand; you are a hope for our generation, that it is possible for us to be civil, to lead with integrity, and possible for us to pass on a worthy legacy to those coming after us,” he added.
Former President Jonathan, who led Nigeria from 2010 to 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lost the 2015 election to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His swift concession after the election, even before final results were fully declared, has continued to be referenced as a key moment that helped avert post-election tensions.
Since leaving office, Jonathan has remained active in international diplomacy, frequently serving as an election observer and peace mediator across Africa under regional and continental bodies.
Despite his current status as a global statesman, speculation about a possible return to the 2027 presidential contest has continued to circulate in political circles.