2023 Presidency: I will not enter through the back door – Jonathan

Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has reacted to news of a coalition of northern groups buying the All Progressives Congress (APC) N100 million Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms, on his behalf.

In a statement late Monday night, Jonathan, through his media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, declared that he was neither aware of any group purchasing the APC forms for him nor did he authorise it.

He stated that if he wanted to contest for an election, he “would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door”.

The full statement reads: “It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms, of the All Progressives Congress APC, in the name of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorize it.

READ: BREAKING: Northern groups buy APC presidential form for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan

“We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door.

“While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians, for Dr. Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 Presidential election, we wish to state, that he has not in anyway, committed himself to this request.

Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr. Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is therefore advised to disregard it.”

RELIABLESOURCENG.COM reports that a coalition of northern groups had picked up the APC presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for the former president, on Monday, at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.