Wike: Politicians asking Jonathan to run in 2027 shopping for crisis

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says members of the political class asking ex-president Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 election are plotting to throw the country into chaos.

Wike spoke on Thursday during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.

The minister said it is ironic that the same people who abandoned Jonathan in 2015 are now pushing for his comeback despite his standing as an international statesman.

“Anybody saying Jonathan should return because he will only do one term is only looking for a crisis,” Wike said.

“These are the same people who abandoned him in 2015. Why now? Jonathan has made a name for himself globally and they just want to drag him into unnecessary conflict.”

Wike said campaigns for Jonathan or any other southern candidate under the guise of a “one-term presidency” are dishonest and destabilising.

He admitted that the country is experiencing hardship under President Bola Tinubu, but said the administration is making difficult yet necessary choices to fix the economy.

“Yes, there is hardship. I agree. But no one can deny that this government is making efforts to improve things. I see the projects in Abuja daily; they are evidence that something is happening,” he said.

Wike dismissed recent comments by former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, who warned of a looming revolution over hunger and poverty.

“Atiku was vice-president for eight years. Why didn’t he lay the foundation to prevent hunger then?” he asked.

“Now he keeps talking about hunger and revolution. For me, I don’t even bother reading what he says, because there is no truth in it.”

The minister said Nigerians must be patient with Tinubu, adding that opposition figures should not exploit the current economic difficulties for political gain.