2023: Jonathan Not Thinking of Joining the APC, Says PDP Sources

• The rumours circulating that former president Goodluck Jonathan is preparing to join the APC may be false after all
• Sources in the ex-president's party, the PDP, dismissed the rumors and assured that Jonathan remains an integral part of its fold
• The Bayelsa-born politician has not spoken on the rumours publicly since it became a trending topic in the country

FCT, Abuja - A report by the Nigerian Tribune newspaper indicates that former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is not contemplating joining the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to run on its platform as a presidential candidate in 2023.

Citing a source close to the former president, the report noted that though some APC leaders have been wooing the ex-president, the Bayelsa-born politician would stay back in the PDP.

Read also

2023: Northern oligarchy pushing for Jonathan due to 4-year term, says APC chieftain

Also, the acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, said the ex-president has assured them that he would not dump the PDP. 

He said speculations about Jonathan going to APC were laid to rest during a meeting he and others had with the former president. 

Akinwonmi, however, admitted that Jonathan had not been attending the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP and had assured them he would do so henceforth. 

His words:

“I can assure you that you will not hear of any defection from the PDP again whether at the state or national level. 

“Since I came on board, we have been able to identify people that were not happy enough about the party and we went to beg and pacify them. 

Read also

2023: Prominent northern lawmaker reveals why APC is wooing Jonathan, speaks about Tinubu's ambition

“I was with former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. You should have read that in the papers. For some time, he has not been attending our NEC meetings. He assured me that he would henceforth be attending. This has laid to rest speculations over whether he is leaving the party. 

“PDP remains the alternative party for Nigeria. Compare Nigeria under PDP to what it is now under APC.”

PDP official statement on Jonathan's rumoured defection

The PDP had earlier announced that it has not received any official confirmation regarding ex-President Jonathan's defection rumour.

Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP spokesman, said the former president has not informed the party of any defection plan.

Ologbondiyan admitted that the defection rumour was in circulation but reiterated that the party has not received any official confirmation.

PDP leaders visit Jonathan, beg him not to defect

Legit.ng earlier reported that the perceived silence of former President Jonathan over the ordeals of the PDP had become a recipe for worry among party leaders.

Read also

Defection: Fani-Kayode, Ex-PDP pillars who vowed never to join APC

This prompted a delegation of the party led by Akinwonmi to visit the former president in Abuja on Tuesday, August 31.

Apart from informing Jonathan of the happenings in the party, the delegates, according to a source, begged him not to abandon the opposition party.

Source: Legit.ng