A coalition of youths from the North-East under the banner of Bring Back Our Goodluck has tendered an unreserved apology to former President Goodluck Jonathan over what it described as false allegations that he sponsored Boko Haram insurgents during his administration.
The group said the narrative, which was widely circulated in the build-up to the 2015 elections, contributed to Jonathan’s removal from office. It has now resolved to mobilise a one-million-man march to the former President’s hometown in Bayelsa State to urge him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking in Maiduguri after a strategic meeting of hundreds of youths, the group’s National Chairman, Grema Kyari, said Jonathan’s removal was part of a “regime change agenda” orchestrated by foreign powers in collusion with desperate Nigerian politicians.
Kyari, who hails from Borno State, one of the regions hardest hit by insurgency, admitted that many in the North were misled by propaganda.
He said: “During the Presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a damaging narrative was widely spread in our communities that he sponsored Boko Haram and used the military to suppress us. These lies thrived in an environment of limited access to the truth. But today, with broader exposure and clearer understanding, we know those accusations were false.”
He further stressed that the country is now facing worsening economic hardship, insecurity, and deepening divisions, adding that Jonathan’s leadership style is increasingly being appreciated in retrospect.
The group vowed to tour the six geopolitical zones before proceeding to Jonathan’s country home, where they plan to formally present their appeal for his 2027 presidential bid.
