Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has advised former President Goodluck Jonathan to stay away from partisan political contests as political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political stakeholders have recently intensified calls for Jonathan to return to active politics, but Lamido dismissed the appeals as misguided and motivated by desperation.
The former governor and Peoples Democratic Party leader made the remarks in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
Lamido warned that attempts to reintroduce Jonathan into active politics risk undermining the former president’s position as a respected elder statesman.
He stated that Jonathan now holds a distinguished standing in Nigeria and around the world as a former president and that his engagement in contemporary political disagreements should not detract from it.
“It is unfair and ill-opportune to drag his person into the current murky political arena populated by unserious, self-seeking, and self-serving characters,” Lamido stated.
According to him, Jonathan has progressed beyond the stage of active political contests and now joins the ranks of globally acclaimed past leaders.
The PDP chieftain stated that such figures deserve to have their dignity and standing protected rather than being subjected to partisan political conflicts.
Lamido also lambasted the country’s political parties, claiming that many lack intellectual direction and are primarily concerned with gaining power ahead of 2027.
He stated that the repeated calls for Jonathan’s return are not motivated by a clear political objective.
“The call for President Jonathan to hop into the political arena, no matter how well-intentioned, stems from the helplessness and hopelessness Nigeria has found itself in,” he wrote.
Lamido referred to the pressure on Jonathan as a “desperation call” due to public dissatisfaction with the country’s political and economic conditions.
He urged Jonathan to resist “ego-caressing” appeals from supporters and political actors attempting to use his name for political gain.
“While the call is appreciated, it is a desperation call lacking in any depth beyond being a ventilator of frustration,” the former governor added.
Lamido decided that Jonathan is still an important national figure whose future position, if any, should be carefully studied rather than rushed into the 2027 political race.
