Jonathan was president from 2010 to 2015 and had previously served as vice president.
Updated May 7, 2026
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan says he is still consulting amid calls for him to run for the presidency in the 2027 elections.
Jonathan said this on Thursday when some youths under the platform of the Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan visited him at his residence in Abuja, asking him to join next year’s presidential race.
While welcoming them, he thanked the group for showing interest in the country but said the call for him to contest for the exalted seat requires consultations.
“My children, my brothers, and my sisters, first and foremost, let me welcome you to my office in Abuja here, and thank you for showing interest in your country,” the former Bayelsa governor said.
”If you have no interest in the country, you will not bother to be here, so I can say that you are showing signs of being patriotic Nigerians, and I will encourage you to continue to be patriotic in the country.
“Yes, you are asking me to come and contest the next elections. The presidential race is not a computer game, but I’ve heard you, and I’ll consult widely.”
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The former president asked the youth to engage actively in the country’s electoral processes, especially by getting their voter cards.
He expressed concerns over voter apathy in Nigeria.
“As young people, you must be involved in the electoral process,” he said. “If I ask how many of you have your voter cards now, probably 50 per cent of you don’t even have voter cards, and you’re asking me to go and contest the election. So you must be patriotic, you must participate in the electoral process.”
According to him, having observed elections in several African nations, Nigeria has one of the lowest voter turnouts.
“We have the highest voter apathy. I’ve had to study it, get consultants who look at it and what the cause is, and do something. As young people, you must be involved in the electoral process,” he said.
Jonathan was president from 2010 to 2015 and had previously served as vice president.
But since then, calls for him to take another shot at the presidency have continued. Politicians and citizens alike say he has the credentials and pull to lead Nigeria again.
Since leaving the seat, Jonathan has kept away from partisan politics and has instead served in many election observer missions across Africa.
