The reported plan to bring in former President Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may seem to be yield fruit as the former gives conditions for the ruling party, according a report by Daily Independent .
With the emergence of Abdullahi Adamu as the National Chairman of the party there are high probabilities that the APC might zone its presidential ticket to the South in 2023.
There are reports that the presidency is working underground to bring in Jonathan as the party’s candidate despite the declaration of Bola Tinubu, David Umahi, Rochas Okorocha and some others.
According to Daily Independent, the presidency believes Jonathan has the upper hand because he is a Southerner and also a Christian, which is important given the fact that President Buhari is a Muslim.
There are plans to return power to the North, as Jonathan can only serve for one term in office since he had served in 2015.
Recall that the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Itse Sagay was quoted to have recently stated that APC has plans to pair the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni with Jonathan.
This would give Buni the chance to take over at the end of Jonathan’s one term in office.
A former Minister from the South-South who spoke with Daily Independent on Sunday said the former president is set to decide with the convention of the ruling party now over.
He further stated that Jonathan is “technically out of the PDP as of today”.
According to him, “Yes, the former president was approached by the leaders of the APC who sold him the idea of running on the party’s platform in 2023. They said they were happy with the manner he handled his defeat in 2015, conceding defeat even before the election results were fully announced without any form of bitterness and the cooperation he has been giving President Buhari. They also said as a true democrat, Nigeria needs him at this moment to unite the country.
“I am aware he (Jonathan) gave them only one condition. And that is if they are ready to make him the consensus presidential candidate of the party. He doesn’t want any acrimony that will arise from contesting the presidential primary at all. That is the only condition I am aware he gave to the APC leaders who are in talks with him”.
He further told Daily Independent that after Jonathan’s one term, having served as president before, Buni, who was formerly the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, will then replace him in 2027
Sagay said: “Now we are hearing from the sides, former President Goodluck Jonathan wants to join APC. Why would a man who had been president before denigrate himself to that level? I hear that the conspiracy is to bring in Jonathan as APC presidential candidate and Buni as the vice-presidential candidate. If APC wins, Jonathan will go away after four years and Buni becomes the president. That is the rumour I’m hearing now.”
Speaking with Daily Independent on Sunday, a former minister from the South- South who is a key loyalist of Jonathan said with the convention of the party now over, Jonathan is set to make up his mind on where he belongs.
He also confirmed that Jonathan is “technically out of the PDP as at today”.
According to him, “Yes, the former president was approached by the leaders of the APC who sold him the idea of running on the party’s platform in 2023. They said they were happy with the manner he handled his defeat in 2015, conceding defeat even before the election results were fully announced without any form of bitterness and the cooperation he has been giving President Buhari. They also said as true democrat, Nigeria needs him at this moment to unite the country.
However, in an interview late last year, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, former national secretary of the APC Caretaker Committee, said if Jonathan joins the APC, he will be given the opportunity to contest the next general election but will not get an automatic ticket.