A North-East-based advocacy group, Bring Back Our Goodluck (BBOG), has formally apologised to former President Goodluck Jonathan, retracting earlier accusations that he financially supported terrorism in the region.
The group admitted during a press conference in Maiduguri that past claims were rooted in deceit by a former U.S. president and manipulative Nigerian politicians.
Grema Kyari, National President of BBOG, confessed that he, along with many others, had been “misled.”
“I come before you not only as the National Chairman of Bring Back Our Goodluck but as a witness to history and as a Nigerian who, like millions of others, was once misled. I am from Borno State, one of the epicentres of the Boko Haram insurgency.”
“During the presidency of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a damaging narrative was that he sponsored Boko Haram and used the military to suppress us. These lies thrived in an environment of limited and restricted access to truth.”
He extended a heartfelt apology to Jonathan and recognised the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
“We now recognise that he was a leader of integrity, compassion, and national vision. We now believe that President Jonathan was removed from office in 2015 as a result of regime change orchestrated by foreign powers in connivance with some desperate politicians in Nigeria.”
Kyari highlighted some of Jonathan’s achievements, including his early concession in 2015, which he described as:
“A courageous and selfless act that prevented post-election violence and safeguarded our democracy.”
He also praised the ex-president’s stance on cultural values:
“He signed the Same‑Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act into law in January 2014 despite international pressure. According to him, the move safeguarded the country’s moral values, in contrast to the recently signed Samoa Agreement, which he claimed undermines them.”
The group further lauded Jonathan’s prudent governance, referencing his handling of fuel subsidy policy:
“Jonathan’s administration showed humility when it partially reversed the 2012 fuel subsidy removal following nationwide protests, unlike the current government’s abrupt removal, which has caused widespread hardship.”
Kyari reaffirmed Jonathan’s credibility, noting:
“His appointments were based on merit and competence, not tribal or political favouritism. He sought to unite rather than divide, a quality Nigeria desperately needs today.”
Concluding the conference, BBOG called on Jonathan to re-enter the political arena in 2027:
“On behalf of Bring Back Our Goodluck, I call on all well-meaning Nigerians… to join hands in urging Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, to once again answer the call of history. And in this moment of economic crisis, he deserves another chance to lead.”
