FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has said he will consult widely before deciding whether to contest the 2027 presidential election, stressing that the race for Nigeria’s highest office “is not a computer game.”
News Point Nigeria reports that Jonathan made the remarks on Thursday while receiving youth groups who visited his office in Abuja to urge him to join the 2027 presidential race.
The former President said he had taken note of the appeals but would not rush into making a political decision without extensive consultations and careful consideration.
“You are asking me to come and contest the next election. The presidential race is not a computer game. But I’ve heard you, and I’ll consult widely,” he said.
His comments came as the Federal High Court in Abuja prepared to hear a suit on Friday seeking to bar him from contesting the 2027 presidential election on the grounds that he had allegedly exceeded the constitutional limit for occupying the office of President.
The suit, filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, is asking the court to declare Jonathan ineligible to seek the presidency again and restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate in the next election.
Speaking further during the meeting with the youth groups, Jonathan commended young Nigerians for showing interest in the country, describing patriotism as critical to nation-building.
“If you have no interest in the country, you will not bother to be here,” he added.
The former President also urged Nigerian youths to continue advocating for peace and credible elections, warning that the absence of transparent electoral processes discourages competent citizens from participating in politics.
“The key thing we need in this country is peace, so 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.”
Jonathan further lamented Nigeria’s low voter turnout despite the country’s large voting population, noting that participation levels in elections remained among the poorest he had observed internationally.
“I’ve observed elections in about 14 or more African countries and even Southeast Asia. Nigeria has the lowest turnout in every election cycle.
“I think INEC needs to do something about it. They need to start getting consultants to look at it. And what is the cause? As young people, you must be involved in the electoral process,” he stated.
He challenged the youths to actively participate in elections by obtaining voter cards and voting during elections instead of merely discussing politics.
“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,” he said.
Jonathan also lamented the perception of Nigerians abroad, attributing part of the challenge to failures of leadership over the years.
Despite mounting calls for him to contest again, the former President reiterated that he was still consulting and had not reached any final decision regarding 2027.
“I will consult. 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. If there is a need to, I will wait,” Jonathan stated.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, seeking a declaration that Jonathan is constitutionally ineligible to contest for the presidency again.
Justice Peter Lifu had on April 28 ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on the defendants after they reportedly failed to file responses to the suit.
Jonathan is listed as the first defendant in the case, while INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation are named as second and third defendants respectively.
The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
He also asked the court to stop INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
In the originating summons, the plaintiff asked the court to determine “whether in view of the combined provisions of sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Jideobi argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Yar’Adua before serving another full term after winning the 2011 presidential election.
According to an affidavit deposed to by Emmanuel Agida in support of the suit, Jonathan was sworn in as President on May 6, 2010, following Yar’Adua’s death a day earlier.
The affidavit added that reports suggesting Jonathan may contest the 2027 election prompted the decision to approach the court.
“That the plaintiff believes that the 1st defendant, having completed the unexpired term of late President Yar’Adua and subsequently served a full term after the 2011 election, has exhausted the constitutional limit of two tenures as president,” the affidavit partly read.
The plaintiff further argued that if Jonathan contests and wins the 2027 election, he would be taking the presidential oath of office for the third time, contrary to constitutional provisions.
Agida stated that the suit was filed “in the public interest, in the defence of the rule of law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution, and to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian constitutional order.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Democratic Congress has dismissed speculations that it has entered into any pact with Jonathan ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The party maintained that consultations regarding its presidential ticket were still ongoing.
According to the NDC, it remained open to high-profile politicians across party lines, including former governors, ex-ministers and serving lawmakers interested in joining the party before the next general election.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, the Deputy National Spokesman of the NDC, Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, said the party had neither zoned its presidential ticket nor taken any decision concerning a possible Jonathan candidacy.
“The NDC is a party that believes in merging ideas and consultations across boards. I can categorically tell you that we have not zoned the presidential ticket. Consultations are still ongoing since politics is a dynamic game,” he said.
Abdulsalam disclosed that the party was already attracting interest from influential political figures, including members of the ruling party.
“As I speak to you, we are still expecting high-profile personalities, including former governors, ex-ministers, serving and former lawmakers, even from the ruling party.
“The NDC is the beautiful bride that everybody wants to have right now,” he stated.
Reacting to reports linking Jonathan to the party’s presidential ticket, Abdulsalam dismissed the claims as speculation.
“This is another rumour making the rounds that former President Jonathan wants to pitch his tent in our party. There is no concrete move like that in the hierarchy of our party, and such a decision has not been taken,” he said.
He, however, added that Jonathan remained constitutionally qualified to seek office on any political platform if he so desired.
“But I can tell you that everything is still possible in the case of former President Jonathan.
“He is a Nigerian who is eminently qualified to fly the flag of the party on any platform of his choice. But as of today, we have no pact with him,” Abdulsalam added.