Barely two weeks after a group of Nigerian youths stormed the political office of former President, Goodluck Jonathan with a huge call for him to join the presidential race, a counter protest was yesterday organized by another group of stakeholders who spormed the Blantre National Secretariat of the ruling All Progressives congress (APC) with a strong warning not to attempt fielding the former president as its candidate in the 2023 election
The pro Jonathan protesters went further to organize a second rally in Suleja, Niger State, where they gave him a seven days ultimatum to either declare for the presidency of face picketing of of his office
Former President Jonathan has not however reacted to the threats as he yet to even pick the APC membership card in his Otuoke ward in Bayelsa state or declare for the presidency, even as the ultimatum has long elapsed
The anti Jonathan protesters under the aegis of the Youth Wing of the All Progressives Congress and North South Patriotic Coalition, who matched to the national secretariat of the party on Thursday in Abuja, registered their disapproval of the alleged plans by the party to impose a presidential candidate on them.
The protesters numbering over 100 stormed the party’s headquarters about 8 am and disrupted vehicular movements along Blantyre Street, displayed banners and placards with different inscriptions, saying imposing former President Goodluck Jonathan as the APC presidential candidate would “ultimately kill” the party.
Addressing journalists at the protest venue, convener of the group, Alhaji Toyin Rahim, wondered how the party would justify bringing someone they had called corrupt and incompetent back to power.
He advised the leadership of the party “not to fall victim to ill-advised action that can push the party out of power.
“The rumour has been around for some time now that former President Jonathan of was being wooed by some power players within the APC to join the party and fly its presidential ticket for the 2023 election.
“What began as a mere rumour seems to be gathering momentum so close to the presidential primary of our great party. This Jonathan project cannot fly simply because it cannot help our party and we want to do our best to ensure that our Party does not fall victim to ill-advised action that can push the party out of power.
“One of the most telling negative implications of such an action is that the APC does not have anyone of electoral value who can win an election for us except we smuggle in a former president we defeated seven years ago for his glaring incompetence as president.
“In APC today there are presidential aspirants with credible pedigrees and humongous electoral value and capacity. It is not only unnecessary to smuggle Jonathan into our great party, but it is also self-indicting and means that our Party’s performance in office has been worse than an administration that Nigerians thoroughly rejected and voted APC in 2015.”
