Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (popularly known as Jandor),
Convener of the Lagos4Lagos Movement and former PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (popularly known as Jandor), has advised former President Goodluck Jonathan to disregard calls urging him to contest in the 2027 presidential election.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, Jandor described such a move as politically risky and warned that President Bola Tinubu would prove too formidable an opponent for Jonathan—or anyone—to defeat.
> “I disagree with people calling on Jonathan to re-contest, saying he’s the only person who can challenge Tinubu,” Jandor said.
“It was this same man (Tinubu) that defeated him from the outside. They are not the same.”
He argued that President Tinubu’s political journey, marked by resilience and strategic groundwork, cannot be equated with Jonathan’s path to the presidency.
> “If you accidentally found yourself at the Aso Villa as president, it is different from someone who gave his all to get there.
“Such a man cannot be put side by side with somebody who just slept and woke up and found himself on the seat of President,” he added.
Jandor also referenced comments made by Jonathan’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, urging her husband not to consider returning to active politics.
> “Even his wife advised him not to contest again. He should listen to her.”
The Lagos politician expressed full support for President Tinubu’s administration, praising ongoing economic reforms and governance policies.
> “Tinubu has shown courage by ending fuel subsidy and redirecting those funds back to the states and local governments,” Jandor said.
He noted that monthly allocations to state and local governments had significantly increased under Tinubu’s leadership—unlike in the past, when states often returned from Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings with little or nothing.
> “Now, the allocation is tripled. The money isn’t hoarded at the center. States and LGAs now have enough to impact lives.”
Jandor also highlighted improvements in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market, crediting Tinubu’s administration for stabilizing rates and reducing the influence of unofficial markets.
> “Today, you can’t become a billionaire overnight through shady forex deals. That loophole has been blocked.”
While acknowledging that the reforms have led to short-term challenges, Jandor urged sub-national governments to use their increased allocations to ease the burden on citizens.
> “If state and local governments are doing what they should, it will cushion the effect of these reforms. At the macro level, the economy is improving, but it takes time for those changes to reflect at the micro level.”
He concluded by calling on the military and security agencies to continue supporting efforts to improve national security.
NAN
