PRESIDENTIAL 2027: Preliminary group unites in bid to bring back Jonathan

A group, the Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday held a rally at former President Goodluck Jonathan’s residence in Abuja, in a bid to get him to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Led by its National President, Tom Ohikere, members of the group shouted slogans, danced and unfurled placards calling on Jonathan to return to active politics.

The rally, held at Taraba Close in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital Territory, disrupted traffic.

Speaking, Ohikere said the group had initiated national consultations before holding the demonstration.

Some of the placards they carried read, “GEJ: Nigeria is dying, save it!” “GEJ, young Nigerians are ruining the drugs you do,” and “GEJ, if you don’t run, we’ll put it out.”

He said, “Everywhere we visited during the six-month national consultations, the demand for him to return to power to save our country was loud and clear.”

Ohikere described Jonathan as a unifying figure capable of addressing Nigeria’s current political and economic challenges, adding that the group would maintain pressure until the former President responded.

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“We will continue to come until we get a positive response,” he said.

The protesters who waited for more than three hours were unable to meet Jonathan because he was reportedly not there.

However, he reportedly only arrived at the residence at around 13.00 after the group had dispersed.

Wednesday’s rally adds to a wave of calls from political groups and diaspora organizations urging Jonathan to return to partisan politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development mirrors a similar push in 2022 as groups across the country rally support for the former president ahead of the 2023 general election.

At that time, a group of young people and political actors in the north even bought the presidential nomination and the All Progressives Congress’ form of expression of interest for Jonathan, even though he was a member of the opposition People’s Democratic Party.

But Jonathan refused to enter the race, remaining silent for weeks before finally distancing himself from the campaign.

Although the former president has not publicly expressed interest in the 2027 elections, there have been repeated calls for him to return to politics.

Jonathan, who served as President from 2010 to 2015, has maintained a statesmanlike role since leaving office, focusing on diplomacy and election monitoring missions across Africa.