Jonathan Supporters Declare Support For Tinubu

The Citizens Network for Peace and Development in Nigeria, CNPDN, has declared support for the presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that the group worked for former president Goodluck Jonathan. Their support for the APC candidate will, therefore, shock many who are not unfamiliar with the role played by Tinubu and others to truncate the second term ambition of former President Jonathan.

But the pro-Jonathan group in a statement on Sunday, said they took the decision to support Tinubu because of their belief that power must shift to the south. They called on six south south state governors who have earlier supported backed the all for power shift to south but have now back- tracked, to resign their positions with immediate effect.

The group is particularly angry with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state for accepting to be the Vice president candidate of the People Democratic Party, PDP, after agreement by southern governors early this year, that power must return to the south after the expiration of the tenure of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

The meeting by southern governors where the agreement was reached was held in Asaba, Delta state capital.

The group which said it has kicked off its campaign for Tinubu in Port Harcourt, Rivers state said their position is in line with the popular mantra that power must shift to the south.

According to the statement signed in Abuja by the coalition’s National Secretary Francis Okereke Wainwei, the group said no going back in its support to ensure that Tinubu wins next year’s presidency.

He said the decision of the group for power shift is in line with the position of the Northern Governors’ Forum of the APC and the Southern Governors’ Forum, which had agreed that the South should produce the next President in 2023, adding that this is important to keep the country united.

The statement read, “Our position that the next President of this country should come from the South is driven by the same vision and principle that will strengthen the unity and peace of the nation.

It will give a better sense of belonging to the people of Southern Nigeria and foster a more viable peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

“We were, therefore, surprised by the betrayal of the same cause by some of the Southern governors, especially the Southsouth governors, except (Rivers State Governor) Nyesom Wike, who had earlier declared for a Southern President, to abandon same and started pursuing their interests instead of the collective interest of the region.

“We are, therefore, calling on the Southsouth governors who have betrayed their people by supporting another northern candidate to take over from President Buhari after eight years… to resign immediately.

“This is because the people of the Southsouth can no longer trust them with their common heritage as they have placed their interests above the collective interest of their people.

“Our call on them to resign is also premised on the fact that they recently received huge sums of money via the 13 per cent Derivation Fund and squandered same in pursuit of their interests at the expense of their people.

“We are also calling on the Southsouth States’ Houses of Assembly to impeach the said governors, if they fail to resign as requested.

“We shall mobilise our members across the Southsouth states to force the said governors to resign or get impeached. We can’t allow such selfish governors to continue to govern us anymore. We must all place the collective interest of our people above our interests for our region to experience holistic and accelerated development.”

Tinubu, according to those watching the country’s political space is among three frontline presidential candidates for next year’s election.