Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said he will consult widely before deciding whether to run for president in 2027, telling a delegation of youth groups that the race for Nigeria’s highest office "is not a computer game."
Jonathan made the remarks on Thursday while receiving the groups at his office in Abuja.
They had urged him to join the race, and he said he had taken note of their appeal but would not make a political decision without broader consultation.
Leadership, he added, required 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.
The former president hailed the youth for showing interest in the country, saying patriotism was essential to nation-building.
"If you have no interest in the country, you will not bother to be here," he said.
Jonathan urged young Nigerians to promote peace and credible elections, warning that a lack of transparent processes discouraged competent citizens from entering politics.
He also lamented over Nigeria’s low voter turnout, saying it was among the poorest in Africa and parts of Southeast Asia.
"I’ve observed elections in about 14 or more African countries and even Southeast Asia. Nigeria has the lowest turnout in every election cycle," he said.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commission research into the causes and urged young people to obtain voter cards and vote.
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The former president also spoke about Nigeria’s international image, linking it in part to leadership failures over the years.
He reiterated that he had only listened to the appeal so far and would continue consultations ahead of 2027.
The remarks come as the Federal High Court in Abuja is due to hear a suit on Friday seeking to bar Jonathan from contesting the 2027 election.
Recall that the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025 and filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, asks the court to declare Jonathan ineligible and to restrain INEC from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate.
Jideobi argues that, under sections 1 and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan has already served the constitutional limit of two terms.
He completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2010 and won a full term in 2011.
Justice Peter Lifu ordered on 28 April that hearing notices be issued after the defendants failed to file responses.
INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation are joined as second and third defendants.
According to the plaintiff, if Jonathan were to contest and win in 2027, it would amount to a third oath of office, contrary to the constitution.
The suit is filed "in the public interest, in the defence of the rule of law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution," according to an affidavit supporting the case.
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