2023: Mixed reactions trail Jonathan’s defection to APC, purchase of presidential form
…As Lawan, Sylva, Ayade join race
Abimbola Abatta, Joel Oladele, and Ridwan Akinkunle
Kicks and knocks have trailed reports that former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a group purchased the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential expression of interest and nomination forms for him.
Following the development, many Nigerians took to social media to express their thoughts as they averred that Nigeria’s politicians are not after the interest of the masses but their selfish interests.
On Twitter, Mukhtar A. Tajudeen, said, “The story said that GEJ hasn’t announced his move to APC! The headline is different from the complete story. It’s some northern Nigerian groups who have bought the form for him. But wait, nothing is impossible in politics.”
Aliyu Abdullahi Gunigi tweeted that “So APC no longer respects Nigerian constitution?
“The constitution does not give room for a person who succeeded his predecessor and still won election afterward, for office of president. According to Femi Falana. Jonathan has no constitutional backing to run for president again.”
Jacob Emmanuel, who asked if Jonathan could be the consensus candidate, opined that, “It makes absolutely no sense for Jonathan decamping to the APC without assurance of the ticket.”
Another user, Christmas ATTA, declared: “One thing is certain and gonna be certain. Very soon, Mr Buhari will resign as the president of Nigeria and people will call on Mr Jonathan as Nigeria’s new president. I see Mr Jonathan becoming the next Naija President.”
For Adewole Araba, another social media user, “The era of vote for party has gone now, the voting pattern has changed. We want to vote for the best not the party. If APC brings a better candidate we are going for it, and if PDP brings a better candidate we are going to vote for him not party anymore.”
In his tweet, Abdul Abba said “These people are not after the masses. All they are after is their interest. I foresee nothing good will from all of them.”
Adeniyi Olufemi asked: “Is Jonathan a card carrying member of APC? Oh! Do you think all real APC members aspiring for the same post will not dig out his history? Note, they all know their genesis and it won’t work. Rather it will end in disunity in the part. This party will break up.”
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that a group under the aegis of Association of Nomadic Pastoralists and Fulani Almajeri bought expression of interest and nomination forms for Ex-President Jonathan on Monday.
The group which stormed International Conference Centre, Abuja on Monday were seen with branded face cap with the inscription “Run Jonathan run 2023.”
Addressing journalists, the group leader, Ibrahim Abdullahi said the support for Jonathan is as a result of his unprecedented achievements in the area of education for Almajiris during his tenure as the president of the country and his selfless leadership quality.
“I represent two of the most vulnerable communities in our country. The nomadic pastoralists and the Almajiri communities who have decided to purchase this form for our former president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to come back and rule this country and continue with the good work he has started.
“You may recall ladies and gentlemen of the press that during Goodluck Jonathan’s era he was the first president since independence of Nigeria who has found it expedient, who was magnanimous enough some to remember the Almajiri community, he brought a comprehensive policy of reformation and integration of the Almajiri into the mainstream educational system in Nigeria.
“It was the dream and the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan that if that program had continued it would one day produce from the Almajiri system of education; Doctors, engineers. Unfortunately, that programme was kept aside as soon as he left.”
He added that another indelible impact of Jonathan was in the area of livestock development which if sustained, by now Nigeria would have been one of the leading nations just like its European’s counterpart when it comes to livestock production.
In his words, “Other parts of the community (the vulnerable community) that Goodluck Jonathan wanted to really give a sense of belonging was the Fulani community, the nomadic pastoralists.
“He set aside 60 billion naira in the coffer of the Central Bank of Nigeria which was to be used to develop livestock in Nigeria. I believe if the government had continued with that program, today, we will have been the Denmark, the Sweden, the Holland of the entire Africa in terms of livestock, in terms of beef and so on.
“Looking at this situation and of course the problems Nigeria today is facing, we believe that only a leader with that kind of patriotism, a leader with that kind of fairness who is ready to give every Nigerian sense of belonging can be able to rule this country and that leader is Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“As you may have heard, a lot of interest groups have been coming out to urge him to contest but we felt that because of the deadline that was given whether he agrees or not we need to purchase this form.
“Goodluck Jonathan is for all Nigeria. As a Nigerian we believe he has the interest of this country at heart, he will accept us. You can see that we are almost late to buy these forms, we have been trying with the Almajiri and the Fulanis selling our cows. We were able to raise this money just yesterday and we decided to come and purchase these forms.
“Let Nigerians support this project. If you are talking about Goodluck Jonathan, I don’t think there is any aspirant so far that we have seen that can be compared in any way with Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Unless Nigerians are not serious, unless if we don’t want to integrate and unite in this country, unless if you want to continue playing the politics of religion, tribalism. You see I’m a Fulani man, coming from the far north but I tell you there is no Nigerian today that I can cast my vote for, campaign for except Jonathan. For me Jonathan is best amongst all the aspirants, irrespective of where he comes from, religion.
“Goodluck Jonathan is the best president for Nigeria and I hope with this purchase of forms today, I call on all the aspirants if they are really patriotic, if they want Nigeria’s unity, if they want sense of belonging if they want a president for all, if they want a president that has come out to say his ambition does not worth the blood of any Nigerian no matter how lowly or highly placed such Nigerian is and he lived to that word when the chips were down, I think it is time for Nigerians to tell that man to come back and lead us,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a similar development, Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, have joined the list of presidential aspirants under the ruling party.
Different support groups presented APC presidential expression of interest and nomination forms to the trio on Monday.
Lawan’s support group led by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sam Nkire, said the group wants Lawan to be president because he has the required capacity.
“We want the current senate president to be the president of Nigeria for many reasons — national stability, one. A president that we are bringing for the Nigerian people is a Nigerian president — not an Igbo president, not a Fulani president, not a Yoruba president, but a Nigerian president who we have watched and seen that there would be no other candidate that will be so level-headed — and someone who has the feeling of the poor Nigerians,” he said.
