2027: Jonathan to run on PDP platform

…As 9 Northern groups jostle to buy nomination form for former president

By Soni Daniel

Abuja: Former President Goodluck Jonthan will attempt to return to the presidency using the Peoples Democratic Party as the platform to actualize his renewed presidential ambition, Vanguard gathered authoritatively on Sunday.

A top official in the Jonathan’s team confirmed to Vanguard on Sunday that the decision to use the PDP followed extensive deliberation over where his chances were brighter in returning to power in order to provide quality leadership to the country amid growing hardship and poverty.

The confirmation of PDP as the channel through which Jonathn hopes to use to and return to power, immediately opened a floodgate of struggle by entities believed to be pushing him to contest, to jostle for the purchase of his nomination form, which the factionalised party has pegged at N100 million.

The top official, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, said that the groups competing to purchase the nomination form for Jonathan were aware that the deadline for the submission of the form ends on Tuesday this week and that they were determined to get the form for him.

The source said that a notable group, which calls itself, the Goodluckan Movement, made of Nigerians in the diaspora is claiming the right to obtain the form for him, arguing that the movement is more representative of Nigerians across the world than the northern groups jostling for it.

The official listed some of the groups in the front line to obtain the forms for the former president include the Coalition for Jonathan, which has twice mobilized thousands of youths to rally in his office and urged him to pick a nomination form and run, the Goodies Movement, an online support group for Goodluck Jonathan and the The New Nigeria, TNN – a mass based movement with millions of members mostly in northern Nigeria.

Others are, the Almajiri Network, Arewa for Good Governance, the Northern Youth Alliance for Good Governance, Northern Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan, the Arewa for Better Government and the North Youth Progressive Movement.

The official claimed that each of the Jonathan support groups has pledged to raise the 100m and purchase the form for him.

Vanguard learned that although the former president merely told the groups the crowd that beckoned on him to run in 2027 that he would consult widely before taking a final decision on the matter, Jonthan had since made up his mind to run, hoping to convince Nigerians to re-elect him to revamp the economy and reduce the level of hardship in the land.

The leader of the Jonathan support group, Dr. Tom Ohikere, had urged him to “immediately pick a presidential nomination form of any party of your choice to contest the elections”.

Following the calls by groups on Jonathan to run, there had been concerns as to which party platform he would use to pursue his ambition, a development which immediately prompted the Turaki-led PDP to issue a statement confirming he had fulfilled the necessary conditions to fly the party’s flag.

The PDP spokesman, Barrister Ini Ememobong, confirmed that Dr. Jonathan had earlier in the year fulfilled his online registration with the PDP and dispelled the swirling rumours of his political party membership as no denial has come from his media team or any of his close associates.

It will be recalled that in 2022, a Northern almajiri group obtained a 100m APC form for President Goodluck Jonathan, which made the headlines, but which he later disowned and the form was never submitted.

But as an indication of his seriousness to run in 2027, Jonathan has approached a Federal High court in Abuja to challenge a lawyer who asked the court to bar him from running again, claiming that he had since served two terms.

The case will determine whether Jonathan has any chance of challenging the incumbent and returning to Aso Rock.

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