Dele Farotimi Rejects Calls for Jonathan’s 2027 Comeback, Insists Nigeria Needs Structural Reform

By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News

Human rights lawyer and political activist, Dele Farotimi, has dismissed growing calls for former President Goodluck Jonathan to re-enter the presidential race in 2027, warning that Nigeria’s problems run far deeper than the question of who occupies Aso Rock.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Farotimi argued that simply recycling leaders without fixing the nation’s systemic and structural issues would do little to deliver meaningful progress.

“A Thousand Jonathans Cannot Solve Nigeria”

The outspoken activist stressed that no single leader, including Jonathan, has the capacity to address Nigeria’s multi-layered crises in isolation.

“A thousand Goodluck Ebele Jonathans cannot solve the problems of Nigeria. If we do not address our structural problems and tell ourselves the truth, nothing is going to change. They can recycle all these people as many times as they can,” Farotimi said.

He recalled that Jonathan, once voted out of power in 2015 after fierce public criticism, is now being repackaged by sections of the political class as a potential “saviour.” To him, such a move reflects a failure of imagination and a disregard for genuine reform.

Political Class and Self-Preservation

Farotimi accused Nigeria’s political elites of prioritising their survival over the well-being of the people.

“They want to bring Goodluck Jonathan because it is the safe option for them. It is not about what is in it for the people,” he said.

He emphasised that real change cannot emerge from cosmetic political manoeuvres, but from deliberate reforms aimed at strengthening national systems and institutions.

The Case for Systemic Reform

The human rights lawyer challenged Nigerians to rethink what “change” truly means in 2027. He posed pressing questions on how any new government would address issues across vital sectors.

“If we’re talking about change in 2027, what does it mean in education? What does it mean for security, agriculture, telecoms, or the structure of the country?” he asked.

For Farotimi, reforms must be rooted in structural transformation—touching on governance, federalism, resource control, and institutional independence—rather than depending on familiar political faces to steer the nation.

A Call to Nigerians

Farotimi concluded by urging citizens to shift their focus from personalities to systems, warning that the recycling of old leaders would only perpetuate Nigeria’s cycle of underdevelopment. He maintained that meaningful progress will only emerge when Nigerians demand accountability, systemic reforms, and leadership committed to genuine national interest.

As debates on the 2027 general elections intensify, Farotimi’s intervention reflects a growing sentiment among civil society voices—that Nigeria’s salvation will not come from the return of past leaders, but from an overhaul of its political and structural foundations.

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