A Northern-based group, under the aegis of Bring Back Our Goodluck, has tendered an unreserved apology to former President Goodluck Jonathan over what it described as a “damaging and false narrative” that linked him to sponsoring Boko Haram terrorists during his administration.
The group, which held a strategic meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State, said the allegations played a major role in Jonathan’s removal from office in 2015, stressing that it had now become clear that the propaganda was orchestrated by desperate politicians with the support of foreign powers to achieve regime change.
National Chairman of the group, Grema Kyari, who addressed hundreds of youths, admitted that many Nigerians in the North-East were misled into believing that Jonathan fuelled the insurgency.
“I am from Borno State, one of the epicentres of the Boko Haram insurgency. During Jonathan’s presidency, we were made to believe he sponsored Boko Haram and used the military to suppress us. These lies thrived in an environment of limited access to truth. But today, with broader exposure and understanding, I know those accusations were false,” Kyari said.
The group further announced plans to embark on a one-million-man solidarity march to Jonathan’s country home in Bayelsa State to prevail on him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Meanwhile, human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has cautioned that replacing President Bola Tinubu with Jonathan in 2027 would not solve Nigeria’s problems if systemic rot in governance remains unaddressed.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Farotimi said Nigeria’s challenges go beyond individuals and are rooted in structural and institutional dysfunction.
“A thousand Goodluck Ebele Jonathan could not solve the problems of Nigeria. If you remove Bola Ahmed Tinubu from office today, without touching the evil system that produces leaders who ruin this country, nothing will change. All this talk about Jonathan is just another distraction,” he said.
Farotimi argued that Nigeria’s focus should shift from searching for political “saviours” to building strong systems and institutions capable of delivering good governance.
The debate around Jonathan’s possible return has continued to stir political discussions nationwide, with some groups romanticising his tenure while others warn against recycling former leaders.
