ACF Urges Jonathan to Reinvent Himself Ahead of 2027 Presidential Election

Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Prof Tukur Muhammad-Baba, has said former President Goodluck Jonathan must do more to position himself as a viable contender if he intends to run in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Arise Television’s *Morning Show*, Muhammad-Baba stressed that Jonathan would need to “sell and offer himself as an alternative” by proving he is now a different leader from the one Nigerians knew during his previous tenure.

His remarks follow growing indications that the former Bayelsa State governor is preparing to challenge President Bola Tinubu for the nation’s top job in 2027.

Speculation also persists over whether Jonathan would seek the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

“But, you know, Goodluck Jonathan will be a candidate. But of course, he needs to do a lot more to sell himself, to offer himself as an alternative, to show that he’s now different from the Goodluck Jonathan we knew as a person,” Muhammad-Baba said.

“Circumstances have turned out that some of the criticisms against him were simply political.”

He noted that, given Nigeria’s current economic challenges and the difficulties citizens face, any politician—regardless of region—would need to work hard to convince the electorate they can provide a fresh alternative.

“Well, anybody could be a candidate,” he added. “But I think, given the circumstances right now in the country, it will take a lot more for a politician, whether they are from the south, the north or from the moon, to convince themselves, to convince the electorate, that they are different, or that they offer a new alternative.”