2027: Jonathan Not Nigeria’s Answer, Nation Needs Structural Reforms, Says Farotimi
Human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has cautioned Nigerians against viewing the possible return of former President Goodluck Jonathan as a solution to the country’s deep-seated problems ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking in a recent interview, Farotimi argued that Nigeria’s challenges are structural and systemic, stressing that replacing one leader with another without addressing the flawed foundations of governance will only recycle the same failures. He noted that the obsession with personalities distracts citizens from the urgent need to overhaul the political system, which he described as corrupt, inefficient, and designed to suppress accountability.
According to him, “Even if President Bola Tinubu is replaced with Goodluck Jonathan tomorrow, nothing will change. The problem is not the name of the person sitting in Aso Rock; it is the system that keeps producing leaders who fail the people.”
Farotimi’s remarks come at a time of heightened political speculation about Jonathan’s possible return to contest in 2027. While Jonathan himself has not declared his ambition, discussions about his candidacy continue to generate public interest. Supporters of such a move believe his leadership style could help stabilize the country, but critics like Farotimi insist that a return to the past will not deliver the radical reforms Nigeria urgently requires.
Meanwhile, allies of President Bola Tinubu have dismissed any fears of defeat, with his aide, Daniel Bwala, recently asserting that no politician, not even Jonathan, has the capacity to unseat the President in the next election. Within the opposition, figures like Dele Momodu have argued that only a broad coalition of parties can mount a serious challenge to the ruling APC, though internal divisions within the PDP and other opposition blocs raise doubts about such prospects.
For Farotimi, however, these political calculations miss the heart of Nigeria’s problem. He maintains that whether it is Tinubu, Jonathan, Atiku Abubakar, or Peter Obi, none can achieve meaningful change without fixing the country’s broken foundations. He stressed that Nigeria needs a new system that strengthens institutions, ensures transparency, and delivers justice, warning that any leadership change without structural reform will amount to more disappointment. His call echoes growing demands within civil society for reforms in governance, electoral processes, and constitutional arrangements. As the countdown to 2027 intensifies, Farotimi insists that true transformation will not come from recycling leaders but from building a system that works for the people.
