Abuja: Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, plans to return to the presidency, using the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as platform to actualise his renewed presidential ambition, Vanguard gathered authoritatively yesterday.

A top official in Jonathan’s team confirmed to Vanguard that the decision to use the PDP followed extensive deliberation over where his chances were brighter in returning to power to provide quality leadership to the country, amid growing hardship and poverty.

This, however, drew reactions from stakeholders in the polity. While some said the former president had the constitutional right to aspire, others cautioned him against rubbishing his image in what they described as present murky politics in the country.

Among those who reacted yesterday were Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere; the Middle Belt Forum, MBF; the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; SMBLF; founder of All Progressive Grand Alliance, Chief Chekwa Okorie; and former Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Akin Osuntokun.

But the confirmation of PDP as the channel Jonathn hopes to use to return to power, immediately opened a floodgate of struggle by entities believed to be pushing him to contest, to jostle for the purchase of his nomination form, which the factionalised party has pegged at N100 million.

The top official said the groups competing to purchase the nomination form for Jonathan were aware that the deadline for the submission of the form ends tomorrow and that they were determined to get the form for him.

The source said that a notable group, identified as the Goodluckan Movement, comprising Nigerians in the diaspora, was claiming the right to obtain the form for him, arguing that the movement was more representative of Nigerians across the world than the northern groups jostling for it.

The official listed some of the groups to include the Coalition for Jonathan, which has twice mobilised thousands of youths to rally in his office and urged him to pick a nomination form and run; the Goodies Movement, an online support group for Goodluck Jonathan; and the The New Nigeria, TNN, a mass-based movement with millions of members mostly in northern Nigeria.

Others are the Almajiri Network; Arewa for Good Governance; the Northern Youth Alliance for Good Governance; Northern Coalition for Goodluck Jonathan; the Arewa for Better Government; and the North Youth Progressive Movement.

The official claimed that each of the Jonathan support groups had pledged to raise the N100 million and purchase the form for him.

Vanguard learned that although the former president merely told the groups that beckoned on him to run in 2027 that he would consult widely before taking a final decision on the matter, Jonthan had since made up his mind to run, hoping to convince Nigerians to re-elect him to revamp the economy and reduce the level of hardship in the land.

The leader of the Jonathan support group, Dr. Tom Ohikere, had urged him to immediately pick a presidential nomination form of any party of his choice to contest the elections.

Following the calls by groups on Jonathan to run, there had been concerns as to which party platform he would use to pursue his ambition, a development which immediately prompted the Turaki-led PDP to issue a statement confirming he had fulfilled the necessary conditions to fly the party’s flag.

The PDP spokesman, Mr. Ini Ememobong, confirmed that Dr. Jonathan had earlier in the year fulfilled his online registration with the PDP and dispelled the swirling rumours of his political party membership as no denial had come from his media team or any of his close associates.

Recall that in 2022, a Northern almajiri group obtained a N100m APC form for Goodluck Jonathan, which made headlines but which he later disowned the group and the form was never submitted.

But as an indication of his seriousness to run in 2027, Jonathan has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge a lawyer who asked the court to bar him from running again, claiming he had since served two terms.

The case will determine whether Jonathan has any chance of challenging the incumbent and returning to Aso Rock.

He must have weighed his chances— Afenifere

Reacting yesterday, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said the declaration of Jonathan to contest the 2027 Presidential election will change the political atmosphere in the country.

Afenifere leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, in a chat with Vanguard, said the former President must have weighed his chances before throwing his hat in the ring.

Oba Olaitan said: “On which platform? If it is the PDP, let us hope he is able to use the platform without having any external interference. There are so many hurdles for him to cross because the various conventions of the PDP have been nullified.

“I want to believe he has weighed his chances because the political direction in the country may change. There must have been a reason for his coming out because he must have weighed his chances. However, I do not think he can face the Bola Tinubu’s government.”

Stay away from today’s dirty politics, MBF advises Jonathan

On his part, the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, advised the former President not to contest the 2027 presidential election, saying the current political environment could damage the statesmanlike image he had built over the years.

“Former President Jonathan performed well, he ended well, and he has earned for himself a place of honour, both in Nigeria and internationally,” Pogu said.

According to him, the prevailing political climate is too unstable and toxic for the former president to risk his reputation.

“Yes, the political terrain now is not conducive for him to come in and mess himself up. I would rather advise him to steer clear of the dirty politics going on now and to continue to maintain and remain with his honour and recognition that he has earned both nationally and internationally,” he stated.

Pogu who cautioned Jonathan against yielding to pressure from political associates or supporters said: “I think my advice is, as much as possible, whatever the people are telling him, I think he is better advised not to venture into the political terrain now.

It’ll be catastrophic misadventure if Jonathan runs — Okorie

Also reacting, founder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Chekwas Okorie, advised Jonathan to reconsider his reported plans to join the 2027 presidential race.

According to him, doing so will be a catastrophic misadventure 11 years after leaving office as a statesman.

He said: “I will be surprised if ex-President Jonathan would throw his hat into the murky waters of Nigerian politics again after he exhibited exemplary gallantry in accepting his defeat in the 2015 presidential election about about 11 years ago.

‘’He has carried himself after serving as president of Nigeria with commendable dignity and candor. His leadership profile and democratic credentials soared to global recognition. It will amount to a catastrophic misadventure if he allows himself to return to active partisanship.

“My candid advice to him is to remain as a Nigerian statesman and continue to oversee the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, which is a pro-democracy organization he founded.”

Jonathan’s return may overheat the system — CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on its part, expressed concern over growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that the possible return of former President Goodluck Jonathan to the presidential race could further complicate the opposition’s chances.

A senior CAN leader, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, said the unfolding political moves appeared capable of deepening divisions within the opposition and reshaping voting patterns across the country.

“I’ve never seen politics like this in my life. These are efforts to overheat the system,” he said.

The cleric said there were indications Jonathan might now be willing to return to active presidential politics, despite earlier signals that he would not contest again.

“We have also learned that Jonathan may now come back under the PDP. They want to scatter the opposition vote so that none of the contenders will win again,” he said.

According to him, the entry of multiple strong contenders from different regions could split opposition support in a way that may ultimately favour the ruling party.

“Because if Jonathan carries the South-South, Peter will carry the South-East. Atiku and Kwankwaso will split the North, while Tinubu will carry the South-West and some other states,” he said.

The CAN leader warned that if opposition parties repeat the same pattern seen during the 2023 presidential election, they might again struggle to unseat the ruling party.

“If they go the way they did in 2023, my worry is that the opposition cannot deliver. They cannot deliver,” he said.

The CAN leader also revealed that one of Jonathan’s close associates had previously assured him that the former president would not return to the race after consultations with family members.

“Before now, he (Jonathan) said no. One of his close friends and younger brothers called me and told me he was not contesting. He said they had a meeting at their family house and that he was not going again. That was about a month ago. Jonathan would not contest. But now, he has made up his mind. He wants to contest. We will watch and see,” he said.

Jonathan is exercising his Constitutional right – SMBLF

In its reaction, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, reiterated its stand for the 2027 presidency to be zoned to the South., saying its position on that had not changed.

Spokesman of SMBLF, Luka Binniyat said: “We in the SMBLF are yet to deliberate on the matter. Our leaders in Ohanaeze ndi Igbo, PANDEF, the Middle Belt Forum and Afenifere are yet to issue a position on the aspiration of the former President. Our position on the 2027 presidency being retained in the South has not changed “

He’s been a strategic preference for the North— Osuntokun

Reacting, Mr Akin Osuntokun, former Political Adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, said though Jonathan had always been a strategic preference for the north, he was statutorily limited to one term in office.

Osuntokun, who said he was surprised at the former President’s decision to run for office, wondered whether he had got the assurance that the PDP had surmounted its legal hurdles.

He said: “Curiouser and Curiouser. Under which party? My first understanding is that he has always had a strategic preference for the north, especially in the North/South rotation belief that it is the turn of the South to produce the President.

‘’There is the residual goodwill that he voluntarily turned power over to President Buhari in 2015.

“Second is that he is statutorily limited to one term in office, assuming he is not constitutionally barred already.

‘’Third, if it is the strategy of the northern power brokers, including Atiku Abubakar, then there is the presumption that the latter has agreed to step down for him.

“Fourth, it substantially derogates from the chances of the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket. He has equally proven me wrong.

‘’I had dismissed the possibility of him running in the belief that he does not have the grit, blood and iron to contemplate such a fraught adventure. In the PDP? Does he have the assurance that that party has surmounted its legal hurdles?”

He’s being deceived—Odeyemi, Wike-led PDP Treasurer

Also, the National Treasurer of the Wike-led PDP, Mr Diran Odeyemi, urged the former President not to allow himself to be deceived, adding that Jonathan had not been a good member of the PDP.

Odeyemi, who also advised him not to taint his reputation by throwing his hat in the ring,

said: “As far as I know, I am not sure if Goodluck Jonathan has been a good member and stakeholder of the PDP.

‘’He has not been a good member of the party since he left as the President of this country. His contribution at the party level has not been felt and I am not sure if this is true because the Jonathan we know has agreed to play a fatherly role in Nigerian politics.

‘’If suddenly some people now come to deceive him to come out, especially in the PDP, I will be surprised. As far as PDP is concerned today, we don’t know his level of participation in the PDP. Some people may be deceiving him and I will advise him that he should not allow himself to be deceived.

“I don’t want to go into the legal realm of his aspiration. What I know is that he has not been an active member of the party that helped him to become the president. He has been passive and unconcerned, to suddenly wake up and show interest is funny and using his words, ‘Presidential election is not a computer game’.

“He should not allow himself to be deceived or to be used for some political games. The end result of which will taint his reputation as the father of the nation.”

We’re not in support of Jonathan, Atiku, Obi, and Tinubu – NEF

Equally reacting to the development yesterday, Northern Elders Forum, NEF, declared that it was not in support of former President Goodluck Jonathan contesting on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, or former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Spokesman of NEF, Prof Jika Jiddere, said the Forum was purely apolitical and does not have its backing for any presidential candidate that would emerge from any of the political parties.

He said: “We are not political. We are not partisan. We don’t go into party issues. We are political, but we are not partisan. We have no interest in any political party or any candidate.

“It is none of our business. Our interest is to protect the interests of the north and northerners, what politicians do, that is their own business.

“We are not supporting Atiku, Obi, Tiinubu, and Goodluck. That is not our work.” (Vanguard)

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