Former Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has met with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Newsonline reports that the meeting which was held behind closed doors occurred on Monday night.
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Recall that a Northern group had purchased the Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for the former leader under the umbrella of the ruling party.
The development had since sparked curiosity as Nigerians are left in the dark on Jonathan’s untold defection to APC.
But in a statement by his spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, Goodluck Jonathan had denied joining the 2023 presidential race.
The former president stated that if he decides to join the contest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari he won’t do so from the ‘back door.’
The statement reads partly: “It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms, of the All Progressives Congress APC, in the name of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
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“We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorize it.
“We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door.”
The rejection of the so-called nomination forms by the northern group dominated talks when Jonathan met APC chairman Abdullahi Adamu.
Jonathan told Mr Adamu he was not involved in buying the forms, according to a source familiar with the meeting.
According to Vanguard, the former president had concluded plans to accept the nomination form and meet with the APC leadership since Sunday morning but was strongly prevailed upon by those seen as his ‘inner caucus friends’ to shelve the move and remain in the PDP even without being active in the party.
“These people have been pressurizing Jonathan until the very last minute not to accept to run on the APC ticket no matter how tempting the conditions may be. That was why the former president did not present himself to the APC National chairman on Sunday when the form was to be formally presented to him by the Almajiri who want to show him appreciation for what he did for them during his tenure by building schools and rehabilitating them,” the source said.
“The main argument of those opposed to Jonathan running on the APC ticket is that it would be belittling to his image and standing in the world for him to do so given where he had been and what he represents as a former president of Nigeria. But the point is that the deadline for picking the form is this week and if he does not accept the form, the window would be closed and the opportunity lost,” one source explained.
