Wike Fires Warning: Arrest Those Projecting Jonathan for 2027 – ‘It Is Wrong, He Has Not Spoken’

Akahi News reports that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning against those projecting former President Goodluck Jonathan as a presidential candidate for the 2027 elections. Akahi News gathered that Wike called on the police to arrest anyone responsible for creating what he described as unnecessary crisis in the nation’s polity.

The FCT Minister did not mince words. He declared that in Nigerian politics, a candidate is not known by mere body language. According to him, a candidate is someone who has contested an election, won, and had results declared with a certificate of return issued. “It is wrong to project Jonathan as a presidential candidate when he himself has not spoken on the matter,” Wike said. But is this a genuine concern about political order, or is Wike sending a coded message to those he perceives as threats to his political camp? That is the question on the lips of political observers.

Wike’s Definition of a Candidate: No Room for Body Language

Wike’s statement appears to be a direct response to the growing chorus of voices, particularly from some opposition figures and civil society groups, who have been drumming support for a Jonathan comeback. Akahi News learnt that the former president has remained silent on these draft movements, neither affirming nor denying his interest. For Wike, that silence is not an invitation.

“In Nigerian politics, a candidate is not known by mere body language. A candidate is someone who has contested an election, won, and had results declared with a certificate of return issued.” That is a very technical, almost legalistic definition. By that standard, Jonathan is not a candidate for 2027. He has not declared. He has not filed nomination papers. He has not been cleared by any party. Wike is essentially saying: stop acting as if the election is over before it has even begun.

But one cannot help ask: why is Wike so agitated about Jonathan’s projection? The FCT Minister is a key figure in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), though his relationship with the party’s leadership has been strained. Some analysts believe Wike sees the Jonathan draft movement as a threat to his own influence and to the zoning arrangements that could benefit his allies. Akahi News had earlier reported that Wike has always positioned himself as a kingmaker. A Jonathan candidacy, even a rumoured one, could upset the chessboard.

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The Threat of Arrest: Will Police Act?

Wike went further than mere criticism. He called on the police to arrest those projecting Jonathan, accusing them of causing a crisis in the polity. “I will not allow any breach of peace in the FCT,” he declared. That is strong language from a man who controls the territory that houses the nation’s capital. But does projecting a candidate constitute a breach of peace? That is a legal stretch.

Political projections and campaigns are protected under freedom of speech and association, as long as they do not incite violence or rebellion. Akahi News gathered that legal experts are divided on whether Wike’s call for arrests has any constitutional basis. Some argue that he is merely speaking as a concerned citizen. Others believe he is overstepping his authority as FCT Minister.

The police have not yet responded to Wike’s call. It is unlikely that the Inspector General of Police would order mass arrests of citizens for expressing political preferences, even if those preferences are unsolicited by the candidate. However, the threat itself could have a chilling effect on political discourse. That may be Wike’s intention all along: to silence the Jonathan drumbeat without actually having to arrest anyone.

Why Jonathan’s Name Refuses to Go Away

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been out of power since 2015. He lost his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari. Since then, he has positioned himself as a statesman, mediating conflicts across Africa and staying largely above the fray of domestic politics. Yet his name keeps resurfacing every election cycle. Why?

The answer lies in nostalgia and frustration. Many Nigerians look back on Jonathan’s era as a time of relative stability, freedom of speech, and economic predictability – despite the challenges of insurgency and corruption. Akahi News believes that the current economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration has fuelled a longing for the “good old days” of Jonathan. Whether that longing reflects reality or selective memory is debatable. But it is politically potent.

Jonathan himself has not encouraged the draft movements. He has not dismissed them either. That ambiguity fuels the fire. By staying silent, he allows others to do the work of projecting him without him taking responsibility. That is a calculated political gamble. If the movement gains steam, he can step in. If it fizzles, he loses nothing. Wike’s outburst suggests that some political actors are taking the movement seriously enough to want it stopped.

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Wike’s Broader Political Calculations

Nyesom Wike is known for his blunt talk and political muscle. As FCT Minister, he controls a vast territory and significant resources. He also has ambitions. Some believe he still harbours presidential dreams of his own. Others see him as a kingmaker who wants to determine who gets what in the PDP. A Jonathan candidacy would complicate both scenarios.

Jonathan is a former president from the South-South, the same region as Wike. If Jonathan runs, he would likely suck up political oxygen and financial backing that could otherwise go to Wike or his preferred candidate. Akahi News gathered that Wike’s aggressive pushback against Jonathan’s projection may be less about constitutional propriety and more about self-preservation. That is not unusual in Nigerian politics. But it is important to name it.

Wike also has a history of political brinkmanship. He famously fell out with his own party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before the 2023 elections. He has since maintained a complex relationship with the PDP leadership. By taking a strong stance against Jonathan’s projection, Wike may be signalling to his allies and rivals alike that he remains a force to be reckoned with. Whether that force will translate into electoral success is another matter entirely.

What the Jonathan Camp Is Saying

As of the time of this report, former President Jonathan has not responded to Wike’s comments. His media aides have also remained silent. That silence is consistent with Jonathan’s post-presidency strategy: stay above the fray, look presidential, and let others fight. Akahi News understands that some of Jonathan’s loyalists are, however, privately seething at Wike’s outburst. They see it as an attempt to bully the former president into declaring his hand prematurely.

One cannot help but ask: if Jonathan has no intention of running, why not say so clearly and end the speculation? A simple statement – “I am not a candidate in 2027” – would silence the drumbeat and render Wike’s threats moot. The fact that Jonathan has not issued such a statement suggests that he is either enjoying the attention or genuinely keeping his options open. Either way, the ambiguity is politically useful to him. And it is politically irritating to his opponents.

A Final Word: Peace or Politics?

Wike’s closing statement was clear: “I will not allow any breach of peace in the FCT.” That is his duty as minister. But projecting a presidential candidate, even one who has not declared, is not a breach of peace. It is politics. And politics, in a democracy, is supposed to be noisy, contentious, and free.

Akahi News believes that Wike is within his rights to express his opinion. He is also within his rights to call for order. But calling for the arrest of citizens exercising their political freedom is a step too far. The police should focus on real crimes – banditry, kidnapping, murder – not on citizens who dare to dream of a different leader.

As the 2027 election cycle heats up, expect more fireworks. Jonathan’s name will not disappear. Wike’s voice will not soften. And the Nigerian public will watch, wait, and wonder who is really fighting for their interests. The answer, as always, may be no one.