Former President Goodluck Jonathan used his 68th birthday gala in Abuja to put lingering speculation about a political comeback to rest. Speaking during the celebration, he explained that his current role in the West African Elders Forum prevents him from taking part in partisan contests. The forum is composed of former heads of state who work to ease regional tensions and guide countries away from conflict, and its members are required to remain neutral.
Jonathan said that those rules bar him from active politics unless he steps down from the forum. He added that doing so would weaken the body’s credibility, since its work depends on the ability of members to intervene in troubled situations without political baggage. For that reason, he noted that friends urging him to return to the field would be disappointed.
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He acknowledged that the forum sometimes invites serving politicians for specific tasks, though full membership is limited to former leaders who have withdrawn from electoral competition. His remarks pointed to a conscious decision to keep to a statesman’s path and give priority to regional stability.
By standing firm on the forum’s code of neutrality, Jonathan made clear that any bid for high office would require him to abandon a role he values. For now, he appears more inclined to remain in the diplomatic space than to rejoin the political fray at home.
