By Akinwale Kasali
Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has alleged that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has subtly left the opposition Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Lamido said that the body language of the former President indicates that he has left the Party, but is just yet to formally announce it.
He pointed out that the failure of the former President to attend Party activities, and most importantly, his absence at major national events of the party speak volumes.
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, Lamido said he doubts if Jonathan is still a member of the PDP.
“I doubt it; he has not been attending recent activities of our party,” Lamido responded to questions regarding the former President’s party membership in the interview with the BBC.
Lamido pointed out that for months now, specifically in October 2021 during the PDP National Convention that ushered in former Senate President, Iyoricha Ayu as the PDP National Chairman, former President Jonathan has been trimming public affiliation with the party.
Though speculations is rife that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is wooing Jonathan to join the Party, promising to give him the 2023 Presidential ticket. very close associates of Jonathan dismissed the speculations as rubbish. “It never happened. It will never happen. It is an insult to say Jonathan could defect to the APC. On what grounds? Jonathan is busy at the Continental and International level, and he is comfortable with that.”
The source who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to talk blasted some of them within the PDP touting the story. He said: ” Many of those touting the story are the same PDP people who betrayed Jonathan in 2015. They voted for the then opposition Party, APC, against Jonathan, and now, they are talking nonsense.”
Jonathan has been spending his time after office mediating in political conflicts across Africa and has not been seen at political gatherings in Nigeria for some time.
