A former spokesman for former Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu supported Goodluck Jonathan’s election in 2011.
Naija News reports that Sani, who was spokesman for Sambo as Jonathan’s vice president, stated this in reaction to Patience Jonathan‘s support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Speaking on Saturday night in Abuja, where she received the Women Icon Leader of the Year 2025 award from Accolade Dynamics Limited, the former First Lady said her husband has no interest in returning to Aso Rock.
She added that she would join Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu to campaign for her husband’s re-election in 2027.
Reacting on Monday, Sani condemned the stand of Mrs. Jonathan. He argued that her endorsement contradicts the stand of her husband against the political choices of Tinubu’s administration.
“It appears that Dame Patience Jonathan is working at cross purposes with her husband, former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“In a rare public intervention, the former president condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning of the dangers of state capture and expressing concern over Nigeria’s gradual drift toward a one-party system. Until now, Dr. Jonathan had maintained a dignified silence on national issues, a posture that had enhanced his stature as a statesman and preserved his standing within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he is still regarded as a potential presidential aspirant for 2027,” he said.
Describing Mrs. Jonathan’s remarks as ill-timed and politically tone-deaf, Sani said her endorsement also raises critical questions about whether there was “an internal consensus within the Jonathan household that he will not contest in 2027? Or is this simply a personal misstep with far-reaching political consequences?”
He added, “The statement is even more perplexing given the complex and, at times, adversarial history between the Jonathans and President Tinubu. While it is true that Tinubu lent some support to Jonathan’s campaign in 2011, it was the same Tinubu who played a strategic role in unseating him during the 2015 general elections. Since leaving office, Dr. Jonathan has consistently refuted claims of joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), reiterating his loyalty to the PDP. In that light, Mrs. Jonathan’s open alignment with the Tinubu camp raises legitimate concerns: Is she signaling a quiet defection to the APC? And if so, on whose authority?
“Dame Patience Jonathan must recognize that her voice carries weight and consequence. As the wife of a former president and a high-profile figure in her own right, her utterances are interpreted not merely as personal opinions but as political signals. The PDP cannot afford mixed messaging, especially from such a prominent figure in the Jonathan camp.
“Ultimately, if Dr. Jonathan is to be taken seriously as a statesman or as a potential candidate in 2027, the messaging from his inner circle, particularly from his spouse must align with his public posture and the broader objectives of the PDP. Anything less could damage his credibility and jeopardize his political future.”