Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the N100 million presidential forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) bought for him by nomadic Fulani pastoralists and Almajiri communities to contest the 2023 presidential election.
Mr Jonathan’s spokesman Ikechukwu Eze, in a statement on Monday, said it was an insult for the community to buy the expression of interest and nomination forms for the former leader without his consent.
“It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms of the 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 authorise it.
“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,” Eze said.
He, however, expressed appreciation for the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians for Jonathan to contest the 2023 presidential election.
“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,” Eze maintained.
Leader of the Fulani herdsmen and Almajiri communities, Ibrahim Abdullahi, had earlier told newsmen after picking the forms that Jonathan should be re-elected to enable him complete what he began.
“We have decided to purchase this form for our former President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to come back and rule this country and continue with the good work he started,” he said.
