Amid confusion over whether former President Goodluck Jonathan picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential nomination himself or directed any group to do so for him.
There are already indications that the former President’s consent may not have been sought before the forms were purchased for him.
But a representative of a group, Ibrahim Abdullahi, has explained why they bought Jonathan a form, insisting the former President is a member of the ruling party.
His comments:
My name is Ibrahim Abdullahi, I represent two of the most vulnerable communities in our country. The nomadic pastoralist and the almajari communities who 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 has started.
You may recall, ladies and gentlemen of the press, that during Goodluck Jonathan’s era he was the first president since independence of Nigeria who has found it expedient, who was magnanimous enough to some of us. Remember the almajari community, he brought a comprehensive policy of reformation and intergretion of the almajari into the mainstream educational system in Nigeria. It was the dream and the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan that if that programme had continued, it would one day produce from the Almajiri system of education; doctors, engineers.
Unfortunately, that programme was kept aside as soon as he left. Other parts of the community (the vulnerable community) that Goodluck Jonathan wanted to really give a sense of belonging was the Fulani community, the nomadic pastoralist.
He set aside N60billion in the coffer of the Central Bank of Nigeria which was to be used to develop livestocks in Nigeria. I believe if government had continued with that programme, today, we will have been the Denmark, the Sweden, the Holland of the entire Africa in terms of livestock, in terms of beef and so on.
Looking at this situation, and of course the problems Nigeria today is facing, we believe that only a leader with that kind of patriotism, a leader with that kind of fairness who is ready to give every Nigerian sense of belonging can be able to rule this country and that leader is Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
As you may have heard, a lot of interest groups have been coming out to urge him to contest but we felt that because is the deadline that was given whether he agrees or not we need to purchase this form. Goodluck Jonathan is for all Nigeria. As a Nigerian we believe he has interest of this country at heart, he will accept us. You can see that we are almost late to buy these forms, we have been trying with the Almajiri and the Fulani selling our cows. We were able to raise this … just yesterday and we decided to come and purchase these forms.
Let Nigerians support this project. If you are talking about Goodluck Jonathan, I don’t think there is any aspirant so far that we have seen that can be compared in any way to Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Unless if Nigerians are not serious, unless if we don’t want to integrate and unite in this country, unless if you want to continue playing the politics of religion, tribalism.
You see I’m a Fulani man, coming from the far north but I tell you there is no Nigerian today that I can cast my vote for, campaign, vote except Jonathan. For me Jonathan is best amongst all the aspirants, irrespective of where he comes from, religion.
Goodluck Jonathan is the best president for Nigeria and I hope with this purchase of forms today, I call on all the aspirants if the are really patriotic, if they want Nigeria’s unity, if they can want sense of belonging if they want a president for all, if they want a president that has come out to say his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, no matter how lowly or highly placed, such Nigerian is and he lived to that word when the chips were down, I think it is time for Nigerians to tell that man to come back and lead us
(Mallam Abdulahi spoke to journalists at the APC National Headquarters)
