2023: “I Have Been Insulted” – Jonathan; Denies Group Which Bought Him Presidential Forms

By Akinwale Kasali

Dr Goodluck Jonathan, a former President of Nigeria, has reacted angrily to the purchasing of the N100m Presidential Forms of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for him by a Northern Group in his name.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his Spokesperson, Ike Eze, Jonathan said with his status, the very thought that somebody would surreptitiously buy the APC Presidential Form for him is insulting.

Said the statement: “Buying a Presidential form in the name of Dr Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is, therefore, advised to disregard it.”

The news which not a few Nigerians found worrisome broke Monday evening that a group of Northerners had purchased the forms for Jonathan to contest the Presidency under the APC.

Paid into an APC Heritage bank account in two tranches of N70, 000m and N30m, the receipts of payment were flaunted before the Media.

The Social Media went “crazy” with the story, with many claiming that the former President has already defected to the APC, and declared interest to run, to the consternation  and embarrassment of his supporters, admirers and associates who felt the move was belittling.

But it turns out that Jonathan neither authorised the Group, nor had any knowledge of their provocative action which many now think was meant to embarrass him.

“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 intention clear to the public and will not enter through the back door.”, said the statement.

It reads in full:

“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.

“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.

“While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians, for Dr. Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 Presidential election, we wish to state, that he has not in anyway, committed himself to this request.

“Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr. Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person.

“The general public is therefore advised to disregard it.”

The speculation has been on for months that Jonathan was being positioned by the Powers-that-be in the North to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari. The attraction to him, it is said was to get back power for the North after Jonathan’s four years in office.

While not a few people doubted that the Jonathan they know will fall for that bait, the speculation was given a wing to fly when Dr Reuben Abati, former Jonathan’s Presidential spokesperson, posted that the former President was  set to join the race under the APC.

Abati’s post was not denied by Jonathan, which many felt was a mistake. The climax is the purchase of the forms on Monday by a Northern Group which this medium was told both shocked and embarrassed Dr Jonathan.

Jonathan was Nigeria’s President for six years. His second term bid was truncated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, propelled by unprecedented propaganda, and in connivance with most of Jonathan’s Party men from the North who desperately wanted power back to the North.

He has since become a global icon for the peaceful manner he handled his failure to secure a second term, especially, in the face of many provocations.