2023: Ijaws Warn Jonathan To Contest Or Forget Niger Delta

By James Orji

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been warned by his own people to either contest next year’s presidential election or forget home.

The ultimatum came amidst reports that the former Nigerian leader is under serious pressure to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC to run for president in 2023.

Jonathan had while speaking to supporters, penultimate week, in Abuja said consultations were ongoing to determine whether he will run or not. Opinions are however divided on whether Jonathan who left power in 2015 should contest again.

Speaking on the issue, the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND warned the former president not to come back home to his people in the Niger Delta if he failed to contest.

According to the Ijaw group, the youths in the oil-bearing nations in the Niger Delta are unanimous in their positions to support the former president’s ambition to rule the country again.

The National President of MOSIEND, Kennedy Tonjo-West, said Jonathan has all what it takes to rule the country again considering his track records, adding that he has the solutions to the enormous problems facing the country.

He said Jonathan is not a do or die politician who will hang on to power after he willingly handed over to the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari seven years ago.

“Jonathan’s competence to handle Nigeria problems more effectively and efficiently is not in doubt. He is not new in that environment and will fastly get things done before any other candidate,” he said.

He explained further that the challenges in the country are so many that somebody like Jonathan with wealth of leadership experience in required at this moment, noting that fate has thrusted the former president up for good reasons.

Tonjo-West said “To this end, having extensively consulted far and wide with community youth leaders and critical ethnic nationality stakeholders in the region, we have their consent to call on former President Goodluck Jonathan to accept the clarion call by Nigerians to contest the 2023 election.

“It is obvious that while as human we have our plans and dreams about the country, God also have His plans to advance Nigeria as well. God is not finished with Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan concerning the leadership of our great country yet.

“The situation in Nigerian is worsening by the day and requires somebody with wealth of experience, detribalised and uncommon leadership attributes to fix the challenges. Nigerian can’t afford to misuse this opportunity to stabilize the country.

“Jonathan has been there, he has a clear roadmap to bail us from this quargmire we find ourselves. We will appreciate all our ministers, governors across the party divide to draw wisdom from Sen Bala Mohammed decision to step down if Jonathan finally decide to contest,” he said.