Former President Goodluck Jonathan will only be joining the All Progressives Congress presidential race on the condition that he is endorsed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

Anything short of this would not be acceptable to Jonathan who served as deputy governor, governor, Vice-President and President on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party from 1999 and 2015.

Saturday PUNCH had reported in February that some northern emirs had reached out to the former President, asking him to contest. Jonathan had also stayed away from activities of the PDP, including the last national convention.

Former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State had also stated that it was unlikely that Jonathan was still a member of the PDP as he was no longer involved in the party’s activities.

On Thursday, however, posters of the ex-President flooded the national secretariat of the APC on Blantyre Street, Wuse 2.

On Friday, youth and women groups demonstrated outside of Jonathan’s office in the Maitama area of Abuja.

The demonstrators, who arrived in five large buses, held up placards some of which read, ‘Jonathan, Please Run’, ‘Jonathan, do the needful’, ‘Jonathan for 2023’, ‘Jonathan Declare Now’ and ‘Goodluck Please Come Back, We Love You’.

A spokesman for the group, Mayor Samuel, who is also the Convener of the Youth Compatriots of Nigeria, said, “We were deceived and brainwashed by those who claimed they could do it in 2015.

“Now, we know better, under Jonathan the minimum wage could buy one or two bags of rice. What do we have today? We are begging President Jonathan to forgive us, we have realised our mistakes; we want him back to complete what he started.”

Jonathan subsequently invited the leaders of the protesters for a private meeting. After the brief meeting, the ex-President addressed the demonstrators outside, advising the youths to run for office instead, adding that the constitution had been amended as far back as 2018 in order to give youths a chance to contest.

The ex-President said he was not sure if he would run. He, however, asked them to ‘watch out’.

“Yes you are calling me to come and declare for the next election, I cannot tell if I’m declaring. The political process is ongoing just watch out. The key role you must play is that Nigeria must get somebody that will carry young people along,” the former President added.

However, a top source in the APC told Saturday PUNCH that the former President was seeking an assurance that he would be handed the party’s Presidential ticket.

The APC chieftain, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Jonathan has already been President before. So, the APC cannot offer him anything except the Presidential ticket. Imagine him contesting against Osinbajo and Tinubu and losing? Wouldn’t that be disgraceful?
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“So, he has made his position clear. If he is to come to the APC, he must be given the assurance that he will be given the party’s ticket. That is his demand.”

The source added that the former President may be sold as a “compromise candidate” amid the raging zoning debate in the country.

“Jonathan is the only Nigerian alive that can promise to serve only one Presidential term and abide by it because he is limited by the constitution. If he serves one term, then power returns to the North. It is also not an easy decision but I can assure you that President Buhari will have no qualms with a Jonathan Presidency,” he added.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the APC National Working Committee would give special waivers to select aspirants based on the powers conferred on it by the National Executive Committee.

Section 31.3 of the new APC constitution titled ‘waiver’, reads in part, “Subject to the approval of the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee may, in special circumstances, grant a waiver to a person seeking a national party office, who is otherwise not qualified under this constitution if, in its opinion, such a waiver is in the best interest of the party.

“Subject to the approval of the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee may, in special circumstances, grant a waiver to a person seeking the office of President, Vice President, governor, deputy governor, senator, member of the House Representatives, who is otherwise not qualified under this constitution if, in its opinion, such a waiver is in the best interest of the party.”

The Nigerian constitution and the Electoral Act state that anyone contesting a presidential election must be a member of a political party which will sponsor him as a candidate. However, both the constitution and the Electoral Act do not prohibit non-party members from participating in a primary.

However, a member of the party’s NEC told Saturday PUNCH that waivers would be on a case-by-case basis.

Jonathan’s Spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, did not respond to calls.

https://punchng.com/jonathan-gives-condition-to-join-apc-as-nwc-considers-waivers-for-newcomers/

The truth is gradually coming out , this northerners are up to something no doubt

I pity Tinubu, Dem go chop him money clean mouth ..

Buhari didn't go through the stress of imposing Abdulahi adamu as APC chairman for no reason

Interesting times ahead

Hmmm!
They want to demystify him.
Nigeria is almost irreparably damaged. There's not much he can do in one term. Please lay low so that they would not say "you see, he's not much better than Buhari".

Oga maintain peace. Join APC and reset your brain

The Jonathan I(we) know might not wanna do this.

But you see that him wife…you see Mama Peace…

I’m sure that woman has some new grammatical blunders she has gathered for Nigerians and will be urging her husband on.

With the kind of influence she has on GEJ, if she didn’t want it, Jonathan would have aborted mission.

Mama Peace’s “fellow widows” should go and plead with her to prevail on her husband to not allow himself to be used to shortchange the South.

There is God ooooo!

PrinceOfLagos:
Former President Goodluck Jonathan will only be joining the All Progressives Congress presidential race on the condition that he is endorsed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

Anything short of this would not be acceptable to Jonathan who served as deputy governor, governor, Vice-President and President on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party from 1999 and 2015.

Saturday PUNCH had reported in February that some northern emirs had reached out to the former President, asking him to contest. Jonathan had also stayed away from activities of the PDP, including the last national convention.

Former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State had also stated that it was unlikely that Jonathan was still a member of the PDP as he was no longer involved in the party’s activities.

On Thursday, however, posters of the ex-President flooded the national secretariat of the APC on Blantyre Street, Wuse 2.

On Friday, youth and women groups demonstrated outside of Jonathan’s office in the Maitama area of Abuja.

The demonstrators, who arrived in five large buses, held up placards some of which read, ‘Jonathan, Please Run’, ‘Jonathan, do the needful’, ‘Jonathan for 2023’, ‘Jonathan Declare Now’ and ‘Goodluck Please Come Back, We Love You’.

A spokesman for the group, Mayor Samuel, who is also the Convener of the Youth Compatriots of Nigeria, said, “We were deceived and brainwashed by those who claimed they could do it in 2015.

“Now, we know better, under Jonathan the minimum wage could buy one or two bags of rice. What do we have today? We are begging President Jonathan to forgive us, we have realised our mistakes; we want him back to complete what he started.”

Jonathan subsequently invited the leaders of the protesters for a private meeting. After the brief meeting, the ex-President addressed the demonstrators outside, advising the youths to run for office instead, adding that the constitution had been amended as far back as 2018 in order to give youths a chance to contest.

The ex-President said he was not sure if he would run. He, however, asked them to ‘watch out’.

“Yes you are calling me to come and declare for the next election, I cannot tell if I’m declaring. The political process is ongoing just watch out. The key role you must play is that Nigeria must get somebody that will carry young people along,” the former President added.

However, a top source in the APC told Saturday PUNCH that the former President was seeking an assurance that he would be handed the party’s Presidential ticket.

The APC chieftain, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Jonathan has already been President before. So, the APC cannot offer him anything except the Presidential ticket. Imagine him contesting against Osinbajo and Tinubu and losing? Wouldn’t that be disgraceful?
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“So, he has made his position clear. If he is to come to the APC, he must be given the assurance that he will be given the party’s ticket. That is his demand.”

The source added that the former President may be sold as a “compromise candidate” amid the raging zoning debate in the country.

“Jonathan is the only Nigerian alive that can promise to serve only one Presidential term and abide by it because he is limited by the constitution. If he serves one term, then power returns to the North. It is also not an easy decision but I can assure you that President Buhari will have no qualms with a Jonathan Presidency,” he added.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the APC National Working Committee would give special waivers to select aspirants based on the powers conferred on it by the National Executive Committee.

Section 31.3 of the new APC constitution titled ‘waiver’, reads in part, “Subject to the approval of the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee may, in special circumstances, grant a waiver to a person seeking a national party office, who is otherwise not qualified under this constitution if, in its opinion, such a waiver is in the best interest of the party.

“Subject to the approval of the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee may, in special circumstances, grant a waiver to a person seeking the office of President, Vice President, governor, deputy governor, senator, member of the House Representatives, who is otherwise not qualified under this constitution if, in its opinion, such a waiver is in the best interest of the party.”

The Nigerian constitution and the Electoral Act state that anyone contesting a presidential election must be a member of a political party which will sponsor him as a candidate. However, both the constitution and the Electoral Act do not prohibit non-party members from participating in a primary.

However, a member of the party’s NEC told Saturday PUNCH that waivers would be on a case-by-case basis.

Jonathan’s Spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, did not respond to calls.

https://punchng.com/jonathan-gives-condition-to-join-apc-as-nwc-considers-waivers-for-newcomers/

Lalasticlala

Oga better respect your old age and steer clear of 2023 presidential race

How many times will he give condition? He should do quick and join the race; the primary election of APC will be more interesting than even the general election. It will be Tinubu running on his own name and record of achievements against anointed candidates like Osinbajo, Jonathan, Amaechi, Ngige, Umahi etc. We can’t wait

The supposed 'ineffective drunk buffoon' from Otuoke is apparently smarter than some degree carrying 'mute-in-the-face-of-wrong' sabotaging clergyman of the law or some stone-hearted, degree-claiming, unapologetic, incontinent, stoned landlord.

Why is this you may ask?

Well, GEJ has turned from being a man who ran around serving the opinion of the North to a man Africa runs after to serve his opinion.
He is gradually becoming a global elder statesman, sizing into the shoes of Nelson Mandela.

Just like the world had some reservations on Mandiba for his allegiance to Cuba and endorsement of radical militancy, they do also for GEJ who has been branded as the posterboy of Nigeria's present state of irredeemable corruption.

Who made the world have this opinion of him?

APC.

How does he remedy this?

Get the one person who embodies the APC to endorse his competency to lead Nigeria to greatness again.
Even if he does not win the election, he would have gotten the greatest personal victory.

Not only will he walk happily back to his bedroom with the tag of corruption and stigma of incompetency taken off him, he will also be stepping into Mandiba's shoes as Africa's Elder Statesman.

This are just my opinion and we all know NwaAmaikpe is a raving lunatic and his views are balderdash, but while I hope it does not ruin GEJ's endorsement by our darling daddy, I can not be bothered as long as I can ejaculate,

seunmsg:
How many times will he give condition? He should do quick and join the race, the primary election of APC will be more interesting than even the general election. It will be Tinubu running on his own name and record of achievements against anointed candidates like Osinbajo, Jonathan, Amaechi, Ngige, Umahi etc. We can’t wait

Have it at the back of your mind that Buhari didn't go through the stress of imposing Abdulahi adamu as APC chairman for nothing

Your Tinubu will be disappointed at the last meetings

BlazinGlory40:


Oga better respect your old age and steer clear of 2023 presidential race

He has the constitutional right to contest. He should come out and test his popularity once again. A competitive primary election is good for our democracy.

I pity Buhari. The number of people he will have to anoint keeps growing by the day. Hope he has a large enough stash of anointing oil coz I heard Amosun is next in line for the anointing.

seunmsg:


He has the constitutional right to contest. He should come out and test his popularity once again. A competitive primary election is good for our democracy.

There won't be direct primaries , it's either consensus or indirect and for all that we know, Indirect primaries is just the refurbished name for Consensus so don't be deceived ..

Buhari go show Tinubu mehmeh

Wailing Wailers are irredeemable confused and paranoid

He's not giving any condition. Jonathan won't stoop that low

PrinceOfLagos:


Have it at the back of your mind that Buhari didn't go through the stress of imposing Abdulahi adamu as APC chairman for nothing

And Wike went through the stress of removing Secondus and imposing Ayu for nothing, right? And Tinubu also went through the stress of imposing Omisore as National secretary of APC for nothing, right?

Wake up dude, the APC presidential primary election is next month. Tell your newly adopted phantom cabal to up their game. As it stands, they are confused and playing catch up. This is politics and noting else. Let them meet us at the convention ground.

PrinceOfLagos:
The truth is gradually coming out , this northerners are up to something no doubt

I pity Tinubu, Dem go chop him money clean mouth ..

Buhari didn't go through the stress of imposing Abdulahi adamu as APC chairman for no reason

Interesting times ahead

You are still there crying, continue

[s]

seunmsg:


And Wike went through the stress of removing Secondus and imposing Ayu for nothing, right? And Tinubu also went through the stress of imposing Omisore as National secretary of APC for nothing, right?

Wake up dude, the APC presidential primary election is next month. Tell your newly adopted phantom cabal to up their game. As it stands, they are confused and playing catch up. This is politics and noting else. Let them meet us at the convention ground.

[/s]

Lalasticlala

PrinceOfLagos:

There won't be direct primaries , it's either consensus or indirect and for all that we know, Indirect primaries is just the refurbished name for Consensus so don't be deceived ..

Buhari go show Tinubu mehmeh

You don’t need to tell us the mode of primary. Party members are already aware of how the candidate will emerge. Delegates know themselves already and they are prepared for the primary election. Get your buckets ready for the flow of salty tears shall be heavy this time around.

seunmsg:
How many times will he give condition? He should do quick and join the race, the primary election of APC will be more interesting than even the general election. It will be Tinubu running on his own name and record of achievements against anointed candidates like Osinbajo, Jonathan, Amaechi, Ngige, Umahi etc. We can’t wait

Honestly, only Tinubu is not waiting for anointing oil.

We don't need lazy leaders who cannot devote human and material resources to solve a challenge.

seunmsg:


You don’t need to tell us the mode of primary. Party members are already aware of how the candidate will emerge. Delegates know themselves already and they are prepared for the primary election. Get your buckets ready for the flow of salty tears shall be heavy this time around.

We know Tinubu is relying on Lagos tax payers money to buy delegates all to himself but, His ill gotten won't take him no where

PrinceOfLagos:

There won't be direct primaries , it's either consensus or indirect and for all that we know, Indirect primaries is just the refurbished name for Consensus so don't be deceived ..

Buhari go show Tinubu mehmeh

Yesterday u support Jonathan, today u support Amaechi, tomorrow Jonathan again and in all ur motive is to attack tinubu with ur shallow cockroach brain there's nothing like consensus in presidential primary except no one else is contesting perhaps u need to educate yourself on how consensus works b4 progressing with ur hateful madness

Nw that it seems Amaechi is a paper weight and not like u morons thought he will be getting d support, u have switched to another gullible pattern of saying Buhari did not go through d stress of chosen adamu for nothing, can adamu force candidate on d party even as d chairman?

We kept teaching u fools politics but when things change to d other way round again u change to another mumuric pattern

Direct primary is when all registered party members will vote and indirect is when delegates from each state's that are mostly manipulated by d governors or d highest bidders......if u think Buhari will command d governor to support who is not merited and dey will then u should completely stay out of politics as d only thing u know is to write jagons thinking u r attacking tinubu that ur father can't even be a cleaner in his house

Meanwhile u r from imo state but non of south east candidate is ur concern but hw to pity tinubu.....oloriburuku omo ibo

Capital lies.

This article is nothing but a figment of the author's imagination.

wwwihy:


Wailing Wailers are irredeemable confused and paranoid

My brother
there's nothing we will not hear from all dis clown, somebody will just wake up with nothing reasonable to do with his life and be looking for way to use mumu write up to quote himself about tinubu or SW.....u will imagine if all dis boys live in d head of d president or dey live inside aso rock to know all dis jagons dey r saying, nw Amaechi is not d chosen 1 again after d clown ran round the stadium

seunmsg:


And Wike went through the stress of removing Secondus and imposing Ayu for nothing, right? And Tinubu also went through the stress of imposing Omisore as National secretary of APC for nothing, right?

Wake up dude, the APC presidential primary election is next month. Tell your newly adopted phantom cabal to up their game. As it stands, they are confused and playing catch up. This is politics and noting else. Let them meet us at the convention ground.

Woke never impose anybody on Pdp
Ayu is a consensus candidate .. both the former governors and stakeholders agreed on ayu.
Not Wike ..

Seunmg learn to stop fake news

Your really old for this

I told you Gej and Atiku is the only candidates for 2023

I told you long long ago

But your Tinubu must be on ballot

Must

No be media noise

Buhari has no candi ate .. any Buhari candinate will lose in the North..

I told you before and am telling you again

Every thing I’ve said is before you and happening
By May ending Tinubu might be the only one in Apc or he decamps to SDP

He’s been running around and yet nobody has promised him anything ..

Yoruba god must be on ballot

If jonathan loves himself he will not be dragged into this.

PrinceOfLagos:
Former President Goodluck Jonathan will only be joining the All Progressives Congress presidential race on the condition that he is endorsed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

So there is a waiver in APC constitution? Wahala dey o

Better for me to vote Jonathan than to vote in an igbo man.. Godforbid.. curse tribe..

PrinceOfLagos:
The truth is gradually coming out , this northerners are up to something no doubt

I pity Tinubu, Dem go chop him money clean mouth ..

Buhari didn't go through the stress of imposing Abdulahi adamu as APC chairman for no reason

Interesting times ahead

So Buhari didn’t endorse Osinbajo again?

Mandate2023:


Meanwhile u r from imo state but non of south east candidate is ur concern but hw to pity tinubu.....oloriburuku omo ibo

Hahahaha

PrinceOfLagos:
The truth is gradually coming out , this northerners are up to something no doubt

I pity Tinubu, Dem go chop him money clean mouth ..

Buhari didn't go through the stress of imposing Abdulahi adamu as APC chairman for no reason

Interesting times ahead

Omo Ibo, abegi face ur Daddy Atiku and make Yoruba people face dem Tinubu. Jagaban 2023 na a goal

GEJ won’t dent his image by declaring for APC this i know.