President Goodluck Jonathan has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to re-contest for President in 2023, according to reports.
This comes hours after disowning a nomination form purportedly procured for him by a northern group.
Following reports that a coalition of northern socio-cultural groups, basically of Fulani extraction, purchased N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms of the APC for the former President to contest for President again in 2023, Jonathan swiftly rejected the presidential form purchased for him on Monday.
Though his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, said it was an insult for the group to have bought him the form without his permission, the News Agency of Nigeria, citing a credible source in Jonathan’s camp, said the former President has finally decided to vie for the top office again.
Jonathan lost to the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NAN that the former president has formally joined the APC after registering at his Otuoke Ward in Bayelsa.
He is expected to submit the duly filled forms on Thursday.
“Several bigwigs of the party have also been calling Jonathan to pledge their loyalty and support to the former president,’’ the source said.
The source told NAN political correspondent late on Wednesday that some influential African leaders had called Mr Jonathan earlier on Monday to advise him “to contest the election in the interest of Nigeria”.
“At least three top African leaders called the former president on the matter. They all urged him to run.
“One of them specifically told him that it didn’t make sense travelling all over Africa settling disputes only to shy away from leadership responsibility in his home country.
“Another reminded him of the implication of failing to put the experiences he garnered as a former Nigerian president and as a continental statesman to good use,” the source also said.
According to the source, some of the African leaders told Jonathan that Nigeria was passing through challenging times and in need of “a unifier like Jonathan at this time’’.
The source did not disclose the names of the African leaders.
