Hundreds of youths under the aegis of the Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday stormed the Abuja residence of former President Goodluck Jonathan, urging him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The rally, which was held at Taraba Close in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital Territory, disrupted traffic as the demonstrators chanted slogans, danced and displayed placards calling on Jonathan to return to active politics.
Some of the placards read, “GEJ: Nigeria is dying, save it!” “GEJ, Nigerian youths break the medicine wey dem do you,” and “GEJ, if you no run, we quench.”
The National President of the coalition, Tom Ohikere, who led the march, said the group had embarked on nationwide consultations before staging the demonstration.
He said, “Everywhere that we have visited in the course of our nationwide consultation over a period of six months, the clamour for his return to power to rescue our country has been loud and unmistakable.”
Ohikere described Jonathan as a unifying figure capable of addressing Nigeria’s current political and economic challenges, adding that the group would sustain pressure until the former President responds.
“We will keep coming until we get a positive response,” he said.
The demonstrators, who waited for over three hours, were unable to meet Jonathan as he was reportedly not around.
He was, however, said to have arrived at the residence around 1 pm after the group had dispersed.