A group known as Team New Nigeria (TNN) has plastered campaign posters for former President Goodluck Jonathan across strategic locations in Kano State, sparking speculation about his potential return to politics in 2027.
The posters, bearing Jonathan’s portrait, carry the message: “Team New Nigeria 2027: The Goodluck Nigeria Needs—Dr Goodluck Jonathan.” They were prominently displayed at the Gyadi-Gyadi/Zoo Road flyover, Kofar Nasarawa, and State Road.
The group, led by Modibbo Yakubu Farakwai, recently inaugurated a Kano State harmonisation committee to advance its agenda. However, it remains unclear if Jonathan has endorsed the group’s activities, as his spokesperson, Okechukwu Eze, could not be reached for comment.
Speaking to journalists in Kano, Farakwai said the group was motivated by a growing public demand for a fresh political direction. “Nigerians are hungry for change and yearning for a new party with new faces to drive that change. They want a transformation in the culture and efficacy of governance at all levels,” he said.
The group also boasted of having 26,382,000 registered voters nationwide and is actively working to register as a political party. “The TNN will provide not only an alternative government but an alternative culture of governance rooted in the ideals of democracy. We have embarked upon this nationwide program of rallies to start a new dialogue with the good people of Nigeria in the new situation that has arisen in the country,” Farakwai said.
He further explained that the group has developed a flag, a logo, a name, a constitution, and a manifesto, and has engaged with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to formalise the registration of TNN as a political party.
The development is similar to a situation in 2022 when supporters reportedly purchased nomination forms for Jonathan under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to participate in the party’s primaries ahead of the 2023 presidential election. Jonathan, who lost the 2015 election to APC’s Muhammadu Buhari, ultimately disassociated himself from the bid.
The move by the supporters had followed a judgment by a Federal High Court in Bayelsa State which held that Jonathan was eligible to run for the presidency again, stating that no retroactive law could prevent his candidacy despite having been sworn in twice as president.
Credit: Daily Trust
