The Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement (GHSM) has declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan will not enjoy a “free ride” to the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2027.

Reacting to remarks credited to Prof. Jerry Gana suggesting Jonathan’s possible comeback on the PDP platform, the GHSM National Coordinator, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, stressed that the PDP flagbearer would only emerge through an open and transparent process in line with the Electoral Act 2022.

“With due respect, Prof. Jerry Gana is entitled to his enthusiasm about the return of former President Jonathan. However, only PDP delegates to the national convention can pick the party’s flagbearer, and ultimately, God Almighty will determine the outcome, not a few party stalwarts,” Hamzat said in a statement.

Hamzat argued that Nigerians are yearning for progress, not a return to the past, warning that Jonathan represents an “old order” many citizens are ready to consign to history.

“The Jonathan era cannot be painted as a perfect time. It was a period when the diversity of our nation began to be deeply mismanaged, rekindling ethnic tensions and religious bigotry, a legacy that has unfortunately worsened under subsequent governments,” he added.

He also revisited Jonathan’s foreign policy record, faulting Nigeria’s decision in 2011 to break ranks with the African Union and support NATO’s intervention in Libya.

He described the move as a “strategic blunder” that destabilized the Sahel and aggravated insecurity across Nigeria, Mali, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and other West African countries.

On domestic governance, the GHSM leader insisted that Jonathan still has questions to answer on corruption allegations that trailed his administration, particularly the infamous Dasukigate arms procurement scandal.

Hamzat, however, affirmed that the PDP remains a democratic platform where no aspirant, including former presidents, should expect automatic endorsement.

“If President Jonathan desires a return to Aso Rock, he must be ready to square up with nationally unifying aspirants such as Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim in an open and transparent primary,” Hamzat declared.

He maintained that Nigerians deserve fresh leadership and a new vision to tackle the nation’s challenges, insisting that “the only way forward is forward, not backward.” (Vanguard)