Bishop Kukah To Jonathan On 2027: “Look Before You Leap”

By Adesina Soyooye

The revered Roman Catholic Bishop of Sokoto State, His Lordship, Mathew Kukah, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, advised former President Goodluck Jonathan to tarry awhile, and think it through before he jumps into the 2027 Presidential race.

Kukah gave the advice in Accra, Ghana, when he spoke at an event organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation. He spoke on the heels of the strong speculations that Jonathan is all set to throw his hat into the 2027 Presidential race.

Recall that Jonathan was swept out of office in 2015 by a Coalition of the opposition under the then newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC, fuelled by an unprecedented gang-up, betrayals from even within his own Party, Peoples Democratic Party, lies, propaganda and tribal and religious sentiments.

He, even, before the Electoral Umpire released the results, called his challenger, then Major General Muhammadu Buhari, and congratulated him. It was a first, at that level, in Nigeria, and it earned Jonathan both continental and international recognition and applause and respect.

Since he left office in that  2015, Jonathan has given Politics some space having earned his place as an international statesman respected far and wide. He has concentrated on his Foundation and peace efforts within and outside the African Continent.

But in recent months, even though the 2027 Presidential Election is almost two years away, the frenzy to drag Jonathan into the race, even by those who betrayed him in 2015, has been on the rise. He has come under so much pressure to cave in and declare his interest. Two political parties, allegedly, the PDP (his Party) from which he has not officially resigned, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, are on his neck to fly their flag.

While Jonathan has neither said yes or no, his non-reaction to even those who claim to be speaking for him, has become uncomfortable, thus fueling the impression that he, perhaps, is interested in running. The question those who think so ask is: Why does he not make a categorical statement to say: “Thanks, but no, I am not interested.”?

It is in the face of that studied silence that Bishop Kukah has weighed in to advice Jonathan to look before he leaps.

Quoting rtd General Theophilus Danjuma’s quotable quote: ‘Voice of Devil not far from God’, Bishop Kukah reminded Jonathan of the world applause he garnered for himself when he accepted defeat in 2015, congratulated the winner and saved Nigeria from political crisis even though he had the power and the paraphernalia of office to overturn the result.

He said it was because of that singular action by Jonathan, that he excused himself from the all-important meeting of the Conference of Catholic Bishops to honour Jonathan’s invitation  to his Foundation’s dialogue on Democracy. “It is why when you call I answer, when you knock I open, because it is an honour to be with you.”

Preaching caution, Bishop Kukah told Jonathan:

“The voice of the devil is not so far from the voice of God. Listen very carefully to those who want to use you as an instrument for the elongation of their interests, and not your interests or the interests of Nigeria.

He urged Jonathan to reflect deeply, pray, and make a decision guided by conscience and the national interest.

“I, therefore, want to end by saying, first of all, it’s a great honor, President Jonathan, for me to be here. When you took that decision on March, 31, 2015, he’s written a little book, which you should read ‘My Transition Hours’, when you took that decision, was one of those moments that it was between yourself, your conscience, your God against the run of play.

“On the 31st of March, 2015, even before the elections had concluded, when you made that call, you were answering what to me was more or less a divine call.

“And by taking that decision, not only did you reverse, and I think your successor made the point himself over and over, that you had all the military, you had all the paraphernalia of power around you.

“It would have been possible to instigate a war, but by taking that decision, in my view, the people of Athens entrusted into your hands, a touch of hope, a touch of what democracy should look like, the honor, the dignity, the sense of sacrifice, that is what democracy is all about.

“You illustrated that, and it’s the reason why when you call, I will come, when you knock, I will open the door. Because right now I had to excuse myself from a meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, which is still on. Our meeting is finishing, actually, on Sunday, but I had to excuse myself to be here because I thought it was a great honor for me, you know, to be with you.

“But please, General Theophilus Danjuma, one of our greatest statesmen, President Obasanjo’s colleague, once said very often, the voice of the devil is not so far from the voice of God.

“Listen very carefully to those who want to use you as an instrument for the elongation of their interests, and not your interests or the interests of Nigeria. Think very clearly. Pray very clearly. Final decision, it’s your call.”

In 2023, the same pressure was mounted on Jonathan to the extent that a Group proceeded to buy the nomination forms for him. But it came to nothing when he quietly declined.

His wife, Dr. Patience Jonathan, has, however, a couple of times, said she was not going back to the Villa, and would join First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to campaign for President Tinubu’s election, acknowledging Mrs Tinubu as her sister.