The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is supporting the call for former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the presidential race in 2027.
There has been a rise in rumors that northern elites and politicians are not content with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and are subtly hoping for a different government in the next election.
Senator Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, also expressed his support for the agitation four days ago, saying that he would drop his presidential ambition if Jonathan agreed to run.
He believes that the former President has the necessary experience to revamp the economy and would do an excellent job if given a second mandate to manage the country.
Reacting, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, stated that the opposition party was in agreement with the positions of the Bauchi Governor and northern elites.
He said, “We are absolutely in support of the position of the Bauchi State governor. Don’t forget, he was a prominent member of the Jonathan administration where he was a minister. As the chairman of the 13 governors of the PDP, a two-term minister, former senator and a two-term governor rounding off his second term, you will expect him to understand and appreciate the situation of where this country is coming from, where it is at the moment and where we hope to take it to in the future.
“If you are talking about a southern Presidency in 2027, we should be looking at one who had enjoyed one term and will probably give Nigerians hope and prosperity as opposed to the one we have in power. Secondly, if you are also talking about a nationalist, somebody who would not rig an election to keep himself in office, who announced before the counting process was over, that he lost, it has to be Jonathan.
“You remember that he called the victor, congratulated him and asked him to send people for the transition process. So, it is this kind of person with a listening ear that we believe can save the situation. No President in Nigerian history has been as criticized as Ebele Jonathan. We tolerated all sorts of insults targeted at us and his Presidency. But today, he is the one everybody is looking for with torchlight, even in broad daylight.”
The PDP spokesman retorted when reminded that the decision could be unfavorable to PDP former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, who has been labeled as a serial contester by the ruling All Progressives Congress.
He claims that despite being a major stakeholder in the PDP, Atiku cannot make decisions on who to field in 2027.
“It is not the place of Atiku to decide for the PDP. We are running a national political party, for crying out loud; one that has governed this country for 16 years. We cannot be expected to have one person determining the direction of the party. If anything, we respect him. He has given it (the presidency) a trial and has been on this for too long.
“But there are times when you realize a battle is no longer around you and you support someone. This is how things are done. If in 2019, we tried, in 2023, we tried again with Atiku, there is nothing wrong in trying someone else in 2027, especially if the odds seemed to favour that person more, which is the case.
“The situation this country is facing today is one that has gone beyond party lines or other narrow considerations. We require a nationalist in the clout of Goodluck Jonathan to be able to salvage the situation. It is clear that for the six and a half years that he was President, he was able to stabilise the forex to a very reasonable extent. The country was able to go on single digit inflation. This we will continue to reference,” he stated.
However, the ruling APC disagreed, claiming that discussing 2027 was too early for any party.
Bala Ibrahim, the National Director of Publicity of the APC, mocked the PDP for showing signs of clinging onto anything for survival while discussing the development.
Ibrahim, however, warned Jonathan that if he accepts to run against President Bola Tinubu on the platform of the opposition party in the next election, he would taste the bitter pill of defeat again.
He said, “For us to start talking about 2027 is not only premature, but a calculation that is doomed. Less than 40 per cent of the mandate given to the President under the APC has not even been consumed. There is just no way the APC as a party will be jittery, if at all, there is such plan to enrol former President Goodluck Jonathan into the race.
“The APC defeated him when he was in power. Defeating him when he’s out of power will be a walkover. It is something that cannot even give the party a sleepless night. So, whoever is making this permutation, if the intention is to scare the APC as a party, I think he needs to go back to the drawing board and think again. We are not worried.
“As I said, let’s get to the river before we start thinking of crossing it. It is too early to start talking about 2027. But if you bring 10 former President Jonathans, they cannot defeat the APC as of today.”
He also expressed optimism that history will repeat itself if Jonathan accepts the PDP offer to contest against Tinubu.
“The truth is that the APC defeated Goodluck Jonathan when the President (Tinubu) was the leader of the party. The APC will defeat him again now that Tinubu is the President and the leader of the party. It is not the Buhari’s cult followership that matters. It is the party arrangement. Buhari did not contest on an independent candidature status
“Forget about the shenanigans that are on display now. When it’s time for election, the party will readily package its candidate and matches them for the consumption of the people. And I assure you that the people will buy it. But it is too early to start discussing this. But you know politicians for who they are.
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