Former President Goodluck Jonathan has defected to the All-Progressives Congress (APC) from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Bashir Ahmad, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New Media, confirmed this on Monday night.
His claim comes just hours after members of the cattle breeders’ association purchased Jonathan’s APC presidential nomination form.
On Monday, a Fulani group purchased the form for the ex-president to the tune of 100million naira.
“So Goodluck Jonathan has dumped the opposition PDP and joined our great party, the All-Progressives Congress (APC),” Ahmad tweeted.
Mr. Jonathan will face opposition for the party’s ticket from the likes of former Lagos state governor Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, and Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi.
It is not clear why Mr. Jonathan decided to switch parties, but there have been rumours he has been unhappy following his loss in 2015, when he reportedly felt betrayed by key associates within the party.
He is only eligible for one more term if he wins next year which might mean power returning to northern Nigeria in an unwritten, controversial arrangement that alternates power between north and south. Mr Jonathan is from southern Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the APC North-South Patriotic Coalition, or ANSPAC, has spoken out against alleged attempts by Jonathan to relinquish the party’s ticket.
During a staged protest at the APC’s national secretariat in Abuja, the group made its position clear.
With placards and banners reading “Don’t bring Goodluck Jonathan to destroy APC,” “Jonathan is not an APC member,” and other slogans, the group led by Tohin Rahim claimed that bringing Goodluck Jonathan to the ruling party would spell the end of APC in Nigeria’s political history.
Plans to bring Jonathan into the picture, Rahim said, would not fly because the party has many qualified, patriotic candidates to lead it to victory in the 2023 elections.
According to him, speculations about Jonathan’s possible imposition as the APC’s presidential flag bearer are gaining traction, and if allowed to proceed, “would glaringly project that the party does not have anyone of electoral value to lead the party to victory.”
“What began as a rumour appears to be gaining traction so close to our great party’s Presidential primary. This Jonathan project will not fly simply because it will not benefit our party, and we want to do everything we can to prevent our party from being pushed out of power by ill-advised action” ~ Via BBC-NigeriasoyoyoNews
