Mary Onyia
For the umpteenth time, former president Goodluck Jonathan has vehemently denied ever obtaining the APC presidential form to run for presidency in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election, even as the apex Igbo group has warned him of taking such step, which the group fears can be misconstrued as betrayal.
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has warned former President Goodluck Jonathan not to pitch Ijaws against Ndigbo.
The group was reacting to the purchase of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination and expression of interest form for Jonathan.
Recall that some reports have it 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, while others say that a group of APC governors had done so on Jonathan’s behalf.
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.’
Reacting to the development, Ohanaeze in a statement by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, reminded Jonathan that Ndigbo supported him in 2015.
He stated that this earned them the 5 percent togga from President Muhammadu Buhari.
Isiguzoro insisted that the next Nigerian president must come from the South-East.
He stated that anything contrary to it amounts to a denial of equity, fairness, and justice.
“There are frantic endeavors and backstage activities to pitch Ijaws against Ndigbo, a repeat of 1966 gimmicks aimed at the resuscitating the age-long enmity between the two ethnic groups of old Eastern region, which was demolished in 2011 when Igbos adopted Jonathan as our own,” Isiguzoro said.
“We expect Goodluck Jonathan as an elder statesman and African iconic personality to endorse an Igbo Presidency from the seven Igbo speaking States, including Anioma (in Delta) or Ikwerre (in Rivers).
“He should not forget that the South-East and the Igbos were his citadel of support in 2011 and 2015. We became marginalized and were regarded as 5 percent because of the support we gave Jonathan in 2015.
“This should be a payback time for the sacrifices we made for the Ijaws and Jonathan in particular”.
With reports from Naija News