“Listen To Your Wife, Many Will Betray You” – Onoh Fires Warning Shot At Tinubu Over Jonathan’s 2027 Eligibility

Former Presidential spokesman for the South-East, Denge Josef Onoh, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against being misled by political sycophants over the eligibility of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, Onoh stressed that a binding and unchallenged judgment of the Federal High Court has already cleared Jonathan to re-enter the presidential race, insisting there is no legal obstacle to his ambition.

According to Onoh, the certified true copy of the 2022 ruling (Suit No. FHC/YNG/CS/86/2022) declared Jonathan eligible, dismissing arguments about constitutional term limits. He argued that any contrary claims are “dead on arrival” under Nigerian jurisprudence, which bars relitigation of settled matters.

‘Don’t Repeat Jonathan’s Mistake’

In a dramatic warning, Onoh advised Tinubu to heed his wife’s voice above the flattery of loyalists, recalling how Jonathan was misled by praise-singers ahead of the 2015 elections.

> “This was exactly how Jonathan’s inner cabal deceived him into believing he was invincible, until Tinubu outmaneuvered him. If the President falls into the same trap, betrayal will come from those who now appear to be his strongest backers. The one sincere voice he should not ignore is his wife’s,” Onoh said.

He cautioned that the Presidency’s recent statement—through Bayo Onanuga—questioning Jonathan’s eligibility was misplaced and urged Tinubu to focus on governance rather than chasing “phantom legal battles.”

Onoh laid out a timeline of court victories in Jonathan’s favour:

2013: Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi ruled Jonathan was eligible to contest the 2015 elections. The ruling went unchallenged.

2015: Court of Appeal in Cyriacus Njoku v. Jonathan held that Jonathan’s 2010 assumption of office was not an “election” under constitutional limits.

2022: Justice Isa H. Dashen reaffirmed Jonathan’s eligibility, stressing that the 2018 constitutional amendment barring multiple oaths of office cannot be applied retroactively.
Onoh argued that these unappealed decisions form an “impregnable legal shield” for Jonathan.

> “Res judicata applies. No court today will entertain a stale claim already decided and unchallenged for years. To insist otherwise is to undermine judicial authority and weaken democracy.”

Onoh declared that Nigeria’s democracy will only deepen if political leaders move beyond courtroom skirmishes and focus on real issues.

> “If Jonathan chooses to run, his path is already clear in law. The real test for President Tinubu is to win Nigerians with a bold vision on the economy, security, and unity. The people, not lawyers, will decide 2027.”

The former spokesman’s blunt remarks come amid intensifying speculation over Jonathan’s possible comeback, a scenario that could dramatically reshape Nigeria’s political battlefield.