“Do you think you have what…?” — Rufai Oseni questions Jonathan over calls for him to run in 2027
Veteran broadcaster Rufai Oseni has questioned whether former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan still has the capacity to rescue Nigeria’s struggling economy amid renewed calls for his possible return to power ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during a viral edition of his QuickTakes programme on Arise TV, Rufai said Jonathan has every constitutional right to contest again, but argued that Nigerians must honestly assess whether the former president can handle the country’s current economic realities.
“Dear President Jonathan, do you really, really think you have what it takes to be able to revamp the ailing economy?” Rufai asked during the broadcast.
The media personality noted that many of the same political actors now encouraging Jonathan to contest were among those who criticised him heavily before the 2015 election.
He questioned why the former president was considered unfit to lead Nigeria at the time, yet is now being presented as a possible solution to the nation’s problems.
“But the question is, for those that have touted Jonathan to run, these were the same people that said a lot of things about him in 2015,” he said.
Rufai also referenced political speculations suggesting that Jonathan’s possible return could affect the support base of Peter Obi if he eventually joins the presidential race.
According to him, some political observers believe influential figures may be considering Jonathan as a strategy to divide Obi’s supporters due to the former president’s enduring popularity among many Nigerians.
The journalist went further to highlight Nigeria’s worsening economic and social conditions, including forex instability, rising poverty, corruption, and challenges within the oil sector.
He stressed that the country currently needs energetic leadership capable of tackling multiple national crises simultaneously.
“An economy that over 63% of people live in abject poverty. An economy that needs a lot of vigour. An economy that needs to fight corruption,” Rufai stated.
He also mentioned lingering issues surrounding Nigeria’s refineries and ongoing efforts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to rehabilitate them.
Rufai additionally pointed to recent court rulings concerning eligibility for individuals who have previously taken the presidential oath twice, suggesting that legal debates may also emerge if Jonathan decides to contest.
Ending his remarks, the broadcaster directly addressed the former president, saying: “Good luck, Ebele Jonathan. You’ve always had luck following you. Mr President, can you do it?”
Watch the video here…
Rufai Oseni reacts to calls for Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidency pic.twitter.com/hMAPBGp3lH
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) May 8, 2026