Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-spokesperson, Ima Niboro, has joined the campaign structure being assembled for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Niboro has been appointed as one of the spokespersons of the campaign council as the Tinubu camp moves to strengthen its communication machinery ahead of the election.
The development places a former senior aide to Jonathan in the communication team backing Tinubu’s bid for another term in office.
Niboro served as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Jonathan during his administration.
He was also appointed Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in 2014.
His movement into Tinubu’s 2027 campaign structure is not his first major political role under the APC.
Niboro left the Peoples Democratic Party for the APC in 2016, shortly after Jonathan’s defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
He later became involved in the party’s political activities in Delta State.
He was also Director of Communications and Media Strategy for the Delta APC governorship campaign during the 2023 election.
The Tinubu campaign’s communication team is being led by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, is serving as co-chairman.
Other members of the team include Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy; Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President and former Minister of Youth and Sports Development; Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties; and Felix Morka, National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
During Jonathan’s presidency, Niboro was part of the team responsible for communicating the policies and activities of the Federal Government to Nigerians and the international community.
His experience in presidential communication could therefore become useful to the Tinubu campaign as the political contest becomes more intense.
Niboro has also remained active in political communication since leaving the Jonathan administration.
In 2022, he was appointed by former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege as Director of Communications and Media Strategy of his Delta State governorship campaign.
He was also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 election.
The former presidential spokesperson had earlier explained his decision to join the APC after leaving the PDP.
In December 2016, Niboro said his decision was not a sudden one and that he had studied the political situation before making the move.
He said at the time, “It is not a sudden switch. I have had 18 months to study the situation as it concerned my ward, local government, community and even my state.”
He also said, “There is no synergy between Delta and the federal government and we cannot achieve that synergy when we are working at cross-purposes. We must work together to achieve that synergy.”
In a related development, a Federal High Court in Abuja on May 26, 2026, dismissed a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The suit was filed by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who challenged Jonathan’s eligibility to return to the presidential ballot.
Jideobi argued that Jonathan had already taken the oath of office twice. He therefore asked the court to prevent the former president from seeking another term.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered judgment in the matter, rejected the suit.
The judge held that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the case because he had not suffered any injury arising from Jonathan’s perceived intention to contest.
Lifu also noted that previous decisions by the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had already dealt with Jonathan’s eligibility.
The judge said he was bound by the existing appellate decision.
The court subsequently dismissed the case and awarded N20 million in costs against Jideobi in favour of Jonathan. Another N1 million was awarded in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Justice Lifu also described the suit as “an abuse of court process”.
The ruling came at a time when pressure was mounting on Jonathan to make his position on the 2027 presidential election known.
Groups supporting his possible return had repeatedly called on him to enter the race.
Jonathan, however, has maintained that he would consult widely before reaching a decision.
When a group under the Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan visited him in Abuja and asked him to contest, the former president acknowledged their demand.
He told the group, “Yes, you are asking me to come and contest the next elections.”
Jonathan then added, “The presidential race is not a computer game, but I’ve heard you, and I’ll consult widely.”
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