Human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has dismissed calls for former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest in the 2027 general elections, stressing that Nigeria’s challenges transcend individual leadership.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Farotimi emphasised that merely changing leaders without addressing the deep-rooted structural issues would not yield meaningful progress.

“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,” he said.

Farotimi recalled that Jonathan was once heavily criticised and voted out of office in 2015, yet a decade later, political actors are attempting to project him as a national “saviour.”

He argued that such moves only reflect the desperation of Nigeria’s political class, who he said have repeatedly failed to act in the people’s interest.

“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 noted.

The activist maintained that genuine transformation must be anchored on strong systems and institutions rather than recycled politicians. He questioned the essence of change that does not impact critical 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.

Farotimi urged Nigerians to resist being swayed by the political rebranding of past leaders and instead demand systemic reforms that would tackle the country’s long-standing governance challenges.