Nigeria's Jonathan won't contest presidential elections next year

Goodluck Jonathan, former President of Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Mediator for Mali crisis, attends an extraordinary summit of ECOWAS to hear reports from recent missions to Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea following military coups in those countries, in Accra, Ghana March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko

ABUJA (Reuters) - Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan will not seek the ruling party ticket to contest presidential elections next year, his spokesman said, ending months of speculation that he was planning to return to national politics.

A group of supporters from northern Nigeria bought nomination forms for Jonathan to take part in ruling All Progressives Congress party (APC) primary elections scheduled for the end of the month.