APC Kick As PDP Backs Call For Jonathan’s Return

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for supporting calls for former president, Goodluck Jonathan to join the presidential race for 2027.

In the past few weeks, there has been a growing rumour that northern elites and politicians are not happy with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and subtly yearning for a change of government in the next election.

Four days ago, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, also lent his voice to the agitation, vowing to jettison his presidential ambition if Jonathan agrees to contest.

Mohammed gave his blessing at an event organised by a non-governmental organisation, Save Africa Initiative, in Abuja.

According to him, the former President has the requisite experience to revamp the economy and would do a good job if given a second mandate to manage the country.

But the ruling APC disagreed, saying it was too early for any party to be talking about 2027.

In an exclusive phone call with Punch, the National Director of Publicity for the party, Bala Ibrahim, mocked the PDP, which he said was showing sign of desperation to cling onto anything for survival.

Ibrahim, however, warned that should Jonathan accept to run against President Bola Tinubu on the platform of the opposition party in the next election, he would taste the bitter pill of defeat again.

He said, “For us to start talking about 2027 is not only premature, but a calculation that is doomed. Less than 40 per cent of the mandate given to the President under the APC has not even been consumed. There is just no way the APC as a party will be jittery, if at all, there is such plan to enrol former President Goodluck Jonathan into the race.

“The APC defeated him when he was in power. Defeating him when he’s out of power will be a walkover. It is something that cannot even give the party a sleepless night. So, whoever is making this permutation, if the intention is to scare the APC as a party, I think he needs to go back to the drawing board and think again. We are not worried.

“As I said, let’s get to the river before we start thinking of crossing it. It is too early to start talking about 2027. But if you bring 10 former President Jonathan, they cannot defeat the APC as of today.”

When told that a larger section of political analysts believe the APC defeated Jonathan only because of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s cult-like followership across the country in 2015, Ibrahim laughed.

The APC spokesman insisted that it is on record that Tinubu was the leader of the party when Buhari shocked the Otuoke politician.

He also expressed optimism that history will repeat itself if Jonathan accepts the PDP offer to contest against Tinubu.