Jonathan hints at 2027 comeback as supporters urge former president to re-enter race

Abuja, Nigeria – Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said he will “consult widely” on a possible return to the presidential race in 2027, delivering his clearest signal yet that he is seriously considering a comeback.

The former leader, who served as president from 2010 to 2015, made the remarks on Thursday in response to a delegation from a coalition of supporters who visited his office in Abuja to press him to contest next year’s election.

“I’ve heard you and I will consult widely,” Jonathan told the group. “Presidential race is not a computer game… 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.”

He urged the mostly youthful supporters to obtain their voter cards and participate fully in the electoral process, while stressing the importance of peace and credible elections.

The statement comes amid a sustained campaign by several groups, including the Goodluck Presidential Support Campaign Group, the Coalition for Jonathan 2027, youth coalitions and the South-South Vanguard Renaissance Group. Supporters have organised rallies and paid multiple visits to Jonathan’s Abuja residence, most recently building on an earlier delegation on 8 April.

Political analysts have interpreted his measured response as the strongest indication to date that he is actively weighing a bid rather than dismissing the idea outright. Jonathan has previously denied similar speculation, including in 2025, but has so far offered no denial following Thursday’s direct appeal.

Constitutional questions over his eligibility were settled some time ago by the courts, which ruled that Jonathan – who completed the unexpired term of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua before winning his own mandate – remains free to contest again.

Sources close to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Jonathan’s former party, have floated his name as a potential unifying candidate capable of mounting a strong challenge to President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress. While no formal party platform or nomination forms have been secured, momentum appears to be building within opposition circles.