Youths stage rally at Jonathan’s home, ask ex-president to contest 2027 poll

Youths stage rally at Jonathan’s home, ask ex-president to contest 2027 poll

A group of youths, under the aegis of the Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday converged on the Abuja residence of the former president in a solidarity rally.

They chanted songs and slogans asking Jonathan to run for president again in 2027.

The demonstrators flooded the area around Taraba Close in Maitama, overflowing into nearby streets and causing significant traffic disruption in the upscale district as they chanted slogans, danced to music, and waved placards with messages such as ‘GEJ: Nigeria is dying, save it!’, ‘GEJ, Nigerian youths break the medicine wey dem do you’, and ‘GEJ, if you no run, we quench’.

The youths described Jonathan as a unifying figure capable of rescuing the country from its current challenges.

The rally adds to growing calls from various groups urging the former president to return to active politics ahead of the 2027 poll.

Addressing the crowd, Jonathan said he had heard their appeals and will consult widely before making a decision.

“I’ve heard you loud and clear. I will consult widely before taking any decision,” Jonathan said.

He also called on young Nigerians to actively participate in the democratic process, adding that there is a need for peaceful, transparent, and credible elections.

The former Bayelsa governor expressed worry over the rate of voter apathy in the country, describing it as one of Nigeria’s biggest democratic challenges.

“Nigeria has one of the highest levels of voter apathy in all the elections I have observed globally,” he said.

He urged youths to move beyond passive observation and engage more robustly in civic and political activities.

Jonathan was Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015.

He lost his re-election battle to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).