Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s name has been registered in a register of presidential aspirants of the All Progressive Congress (APC), jostling to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming general elections.
Jonathan, a member of the People Democratic Party, (PDP), was entered into the register of aspirants who have picked the party’s Presidential form following payment made to account number of the party under his name.
It was gathered that a coalition of Northern groups including Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) purchased the form for him through a bank transfer with his name forwarded to the Organising Secretary of the APC at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, venue of form collection by presidential aspirants.
Pictures of members of the group which was sighted late Monday showed some of them wearing ‘fez caps’ with the inscription ‘run Jonathan run’ and displaying the form purchased for Jonathan to contest the presidential election under the APC.
It was not clear if the former President who is yet to defect from the PDP would accept the form and participate in the forthcoming presidential primary of the APC but speculations were high some weeks ago that he may bow to pressure and cross-carpet from the Peoples Democratic Party to contest for President in 2023.
Recall that on April 22, 2022, protesters stormed the Abuja private office of Jonathan, urging him to declare for 2023 presidential race.
A spokesman for the group, Mayor Samuel, who is also the convener of the Youth Compatriots of Nigeria said, “We were deceived and brainwashed by those who claimed they could do it in 2015.
“Now, we know better, under Jonathan the minimum wage could buy one or two bags of rice. What do we have today? We are begging President Jonathan to forgive us, we have realized our mistakes, we want him back to complete what he started.
Reacting, Jonathan said “I know you are here to ask me to declare, I cannot declare because some process are still ongoing.”
“Yes you are calling me to come and declare for the next election, I cannot tell I’m declaring. The political process is ongoing just watch out. The key role you must play is that Nigeria must get somebody that will carry young people along.”
