50% of you don’t have voter cards but you asked me to participate, Jonathan told the pro group

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged young Nigerians to actively participate in the electoral process, especially by getting their voter cards, noting that voter apathy remains a major challenge in the country.

Jonathan spoke on Thursday when youths, through the platform of the Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan, gathered at his residence in Abuja, calling on him to join the 2027 presidential election.

He told them: “As young people, you must be involved in the electoral process”.
“If I ask how many of you have voter cards right now, maybe 50 percent of you don’t even have voter cards, and you’re asking me to participate in the election. So you have to be patriotic, you have to participate in the election process.”

Responding to their request, he stated that he would consult widely before declaring his intention to take part in the 2027 presidential election.

The former president, while welcoming the group, said he appreciated their interest in the country and their demonstration of patriotism.

“My sons, my brothers, and my sisters, first and foremost, let me welcome you to my office here in Abuja, and thank you for showing interest in your country,” Jonathan said.

“If you were not interested in this country, you would not have bothered to be here, so I can say that you are showing signs of being a patriotic Nigerian, and I would encourage you to continue to be patriotic in this country.

“Yes, you asked me to come and contest the next election. The presidential election is not a computer game, but I have listened to you, and I will consult widely.”

The former president noted that he had observed elections in more than 14 African countries, adding that Nigeria had the lowest voter turnout in any election cycle.

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“We have the highest level of voter apathy. I think I need to do something next. I have to study it, find a consultant who studies it, and what the causes are, and do something. As a young person, you have to be involved in the election process,” he said.

Jonathan noted that nation-building rests on patriotic citizens, and warned that the opposite would undermine national development.

“Only patriotic citizens will build their nation. Citizens who are not patriotic will destroy their nation, carry money everywhere to enjoy life, that’s why they must be patriotic,” he said.

Jonathan said peace remains critical to Nigeria’s progress, especially in ensuring credible elections and encouraging citizen participation.

“The main thing we need in this country is peace because if we don’t hold peaceful and credible elections, most good citizens will not want to get involved in politics; and as the younger generation, you will continue to support that. For us, peaceful elections are very dear to us,” said the former president.

He added that Nigeria must urgently overcome the “Japa syndrome,” and warned that the country risks losing its human capital if conditions do not improve.

“The Japa Syndrome in Nigeria must stop. The highest level of insults against young Nigerians abroad must stop,” he said.

Jonathan also lamented the negative perception of Nigerians abroad, and attributed it to the failure of governance at home.

“Those things could have been done by other people, not necessarily Jonathan. But I have heard you, I will consult and of course the competition is getting closer,” he added.