Former President Goodluck Jonathan has told youth groups calling on him to contest the 2027 presidential election to first obtain their voter cards and actively participate in the electoral process.
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Jonathan spoke on Thursday when a coalition of young supporters visited him at his Abuja office to urge him to return to the presidential race.
The group, under the auspices of Coalition for Jonathan 2027 and led by Dr. Tom Ohikere, appealed to the former president to contest the 2027 election, saying his return was needed to help rescue the country from its current challenges.
Responding, Jonathan said contesting for the presidency of Nigeria is a serious undertaking and not something to be approached casually.
“You are asking me to come and contest the next election. Presidential race is not a computer game. But I’ve heard you and I’ll consult widely,” he said.
The former president, however, challenged the youths to show real commitment to democracy by registering as voters and participating fully in elections.
According to him, many young Nigerians demand political change but fail to take part in the electoral process.
“If I ask how many of you have your voter’s card now, probably 50 per cent of you don’t have your voter’s card. And you’re asking me to go and contest the election. So you must participate in the electoral process,” Jonathan stated.
He urged young Nigerians to be patriotic, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and become actively involved in politics and elections.
Jonathan also expressed concern over Nigeria’s persistently low voter turnout, describing it as one of the worst he has observed in countries where he has monitored elections.
Since leaving office in 2015, the former president has led several election observation missions across Africa and beyond.
He said he had observed elections in about 14 African countries, and in some of them more than once, as well as in countries in Southeast Asia.
“I have observed elections in about 14 African countries and some more than two times and some countries in Southeast Asia. Nigeria has the lowest turnout in elections in every election cycle,” he said.
“We have the lowest voter apathy. It seems people are not even interested in their elections. I have never been to a country with the lowest numbers that we have. INEC needs to study it and find out what is wrong, what is the cause, and do something about it,” he added.
Jonathan said peaceful and credible elections remain critical to national development, warning that good and patriotic citizens would continue to avoid politics if the electoral process is not transparent.
“The key thing we need in this country is peace. You continue to advocate for that. And you continue to advocate for peaceful and credible elections in the country.
“Because if we don’t have peaceful and credible elections, most good citizens will not want to bother to get involved in politics,” he said.
The former president also lamented the treatment of Nigerian youths abroad, saying the disdain many of them face internationally must stop.
He linked the country’s declining image to leadership failures and urged citizens to remain committed to rebuilding Nigeria.
On whether he would contest in 2027, Jonathan said he would not rush into a decision, but would consult widely.
“I cannot just wake up and say I want to be the president of Nigeria again. But I am telling you that I will consult,” he said.
The remarks have again fuelled speculation over Jonathan’s possible return to the presidential race, although the former president stopped short of making a formal declaration.
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