The All Progressives Congress (APC) says there is no plan to field former President Goodluck Jonathan as its candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
The rumour circulating about the party’s plot to field Jonathan took on a life of its own after some APC governors visited Jonathan in his Abuja home in November 2020.
Since the visit, the APC and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have constantly tackled each other.
Many pundits have described it as part of the ruling party’s plot to woo the former president to its fold.
Reacting to the visit, National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan disclosed on December 10 that the APC governors’ visit was on the occasion of the former president’s birthday which he marked on November 20.
Speaking with BBC Hausa Service on Tuesday, Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni denied that the party was courting Jonathan to be its presidential candidate in 2023.
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He added that those peddling the rumour were afraid, noting that the APC has not started on aspirations for elective posts in 2023.
“Those peddling such information, they are afraid. But for now, there is nothing in the APC which has anything to do with the aspiration for 2023.
“Even if someone wants to base assumption on our recent visit to him during his birthday, we were there because of his capacity as a former President of Nigeria.
“Again, even if there is nothing, when we are talking of peaceful coexistence, we must give credit to former President Jonathan on the issue of peace. How he accepted defeat in 2015 and resigned to fate. That has qualified him to be a statesman and he is now among our fathers.”
He stressed that the visit to Jonathan was not unique, adding that other leaders get such routine visits all the time.
“Our visit to Jonathan was pronounced because of his status as a former president, that could be why some may think there was something beneath.
“There are numerous of such visits to leaders of PDP, APC.
“Why are others not being mentioned but Jonathan?” he queried.