…Joins APC In Bayelsa
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has made a surprise u-turn on his earlier claims as he finally accepted the APC’s N100million Expression of Interest and Nomination forms purchased for him to contest for the 2023 presidency.
It was earlier reported that some shadowy groups, said to be of Fulani extraction, picked the forms from the party’s organising secretary at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, on Monday evening.
Jonathan had on Monday rejected the presidential form obtained on his behalf. While speaking through his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president said in a statement hours after the news that the group had bought the form for him, saying he did not authorise the purchase and consider the move by the group “an insult.”
Recently, there have been speculations that Jonathan was preparing to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and seek the presidential ticket of the party.
The Personal Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad, on his Twitter handle had also announced that former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Meanwhile, the former President has decided to run for president in 2023, barely 48 hours after rejecting the nomination form.
Citing a credible source in Mr Jonathan’s camp, state-run newswire, News Agency of Nigeria, reports that Mr Jonathan has finally made up his mind to vie for the top post he lost to the incumbent in 2015.
Açcording to the report, the source, Goodluck Jonathan has also joined the APC formally, having registered at his Otuoke Ward in Bayelsa.
Meanwhile, Mr Jonathan is expected to submit the duly filled forms bought on his behalf on Thursday, the source offered further.
The former president was said to have secured the support of the required number of APC delegates from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Several bigwigs of the party have also been calling Jonathan to pledge their loyalty and support to the former president,’’ the source revealed.
Political reports late Wednesday noted that some influential African leaders had called Mr Jonathan earlier on Monday to advise him “to contest the election in the interest of Nigeria.
“At least three top African leaders called the former president on the matter. They all urged him to run.
“One of them specifically told him that it didn’t make sense travelling all over Africa settling disputes only to shy away from leadership responsibility in his home country.
“Another reminded him of the implication of failing to put the experiences he garnered as a former Nigerian president and as a continental statesman to good use,” the source added but did not mention the names of the African leaders.
The source cited some of the African leaders as telling Jonathan that Nigeria was passing through challenging times and “needed a unifier like Jonathan at this time’’.
