Goodluck Jonathan, has insisted that the five PDP governors involved in the party’s crisis are not working for his cause.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, has debunked a purported media report that the aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors were loyal to him.
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Newsonline reports that Jonathan made this known on Friday in a statement signed by his special adviser, Ikechukwu Eze.
The five governors are Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State).
They are all demanding the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as PDP national chairman, who has insisted he will complete his tenure.
There had been recent reports which claimed that the five governors were fighting Jonathan’s cause.
Eze, in the statement said, “The fact that Dr. Jonathan stood out as an exemplary politician who, throughout his political career, abhorred treachery and mean-mindedness, and played politics without bitterness, needs no gainsay.
“Unlike many of his detractors, the former President has, out of office, progressed to a higher level of statesmanship, faithfully applying himself to causes that promote peace, love, unity and progress, across the entire west African sub-region.
“It is Dr Jonathan’s wish that the PDP is able to resolve its internal crisis, unite all members and have a good showing in the forthcoming 2023 elections.
“We wish to however point out that it will be difficult to achieve this aspiration if some forces in the party continue to engage in mudslinging, disinformation and manifest tendencies that negate the values that are dear to loyal party members.”
Eze also said that Jonathan would have ignored the strange tale, since it was obviously baseless.
“However, we are offering this clarification because we have been reached by many Nigerians who are concerned that such fabrication, with a vague and suspicious attribution, could be given undeserved prominence on the front page of some national dailies.
“We are also not unmindful of the fact that, this being an electioneering season, bizarre tales are often contrived, propagated and weaponised to either smear others, or deliver cheap political advantage to the purveyors.
“First, we would like to make the point that it is not out of place if there was crisis in a political party like the PDP, and a former president who served under the party’s platform, is called upon to intervene.
“That being the case, we initially did not see anything wrong with the headlines in some papers indicating that the former President was being persuaded to help resolve the issues in the party.
“However, we are dismayed that the seemingly purpose-minded headlines were only cast to mask the mischief of the sponsors of the story and hoodwink the unsuspecting populace.”
It added that Jonathan wishes “the PDP is able to resolve its internal crisis, unite all members, and have a good showing in the forthcoming 2023 elections.”
