258
By Myke Agunwa
The eligibility of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 general election has been reinforced by his cousin, Robert Azibaola.
Although Jonathan has not officially announced his interest in the 2027 presidential race, rumours of his potential return have sparked debate within political circles.
Pointblanknews.com reported on Sunday that Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, expressed concerns that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might lack a candidate if it nominates the former President as its 2027 flagbearer.
However, Azibaola criticized both Keyamo and human rights scholar, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu for opposing the speculation that Jonathan may run in the 2027 elections.
In a statement on his verified Facebook page on Monday, Azibaola stated that Jonathan does not welcome “unsolicited legal advice” and emphasized that the former president is “100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest, if he chooses to.”
His statement read, “Dear Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chidi Odinkalu (Prof), I greet both of you. For the record, three of us are lawyers. We were all pro-democracy activists in the ’90s, and I was a more active activist than both of you combined.
“Rule No. 1: Do not offer legal advice where none is solicited. GEJ (PDP) has numerous, more experienced SANs at his disposal who give him sound, professional legal counsel.
“Please note: GEJ is 100% constitutionally and legally qualified to contest, if he chooses to. If he decides not to run, it will not be because he is unqualified.
“Your unsolicited legal opinion is of no concern to him and never will be. Don’t waste your valuable time dwelling on this. Or should I arrange a meeting to properly educate you on the existing court judgments on the matter—one of which your party, APC, was involved in?
“This is not a confirmation that GEJ is running, though” he cautioned.