The South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG) has issued a stark warning to former President Goodluck Jonathan, urging him not to fall prey to renewed calls for him to join the 2027 presidential race. The group claims that those pushing for his return are the same forces who once sought to undermine his presidency.
Dr. Joseph Ambakaderimo, the convener of SSRG, expressed concerns on Wednesday, cautioning that the recent surge of support for Jonathan could be a carefully orchestrated scheme designed to lead him into political ruin. He pointed out that these were the same individuals who had previously criticised Jonathan for his leadership during his tenure as president, accusing him of weakness in handling Boko Haram insurgents.
“Go back to history,” Ambakaderimo said. “You will see that these are the same people who hated Jonathan with passion when he served as president. They called him weak and incapable of securing Nigeria. So, what’s changed now?”
Ambakaderimo’s warning comes after a meeting of six associations from across the Niger Delta, who deliberated on the recent calls for Jonathan to return to power, particularly those emerging from northern political quarters. The group concluded that these calls were part of a wider scheme by “Nigeria’s enemies” to destabilise the southern region ahead of the 2027 elections.
The SSRG convener further argued that the move to draft Jonathan back into the race is part of a broader plan to fracture the southern votes. He explained that while the North seeks to unite behind a single candidate, the South could be divided by multiple contenders, including Jonathan.
“If Jonathan falls for this trick,” Ambakaderimo warned, “he may inadvertently weaken President Bola Tinubu’s position, clearing the path for power to return to the North.”
Ambakaderimo stressed that the true motives behind the renewed push for Jonathan’s candidacy remain unclear, especially as Jonathan himself has not yet publicly declared any intention to run. The SSRG is closely monitoring the situation and awaits a statement from Jonathan before taking further action.
This caution comes just days after the pro-Jonathan group, Bring Back Our Goodluck, based in Kano, urged Jonathan to throw his hat into the ring, claiming that Nigerians were “misled” in 2015 when they voted him out of office.
