Pushing Jonathan to run for president is a suicide mission – CONDJUD

 

‘Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja

 

Daily Courier – The Coalition of Niger Deltans for Justice and Development (CONDJUD) has raised alarm on the danger of strenuously pushing Dr Goodluck Jonathan to contest the coming 2023 Presidential elections in Nigeria, calling it suicidal.

The statement signed by Comrade Ebiakpo J. Barle who is the president of the coalition rues the clandestine manner with which the former president is being shoved into the presidential race against his volition.

“We have been comprehensively brieved on the behind the door motive of the trending issue of the Clarion call and those behind the move for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to run for the office of President in 2023 its our considered opinion that the conception of the desire come from him.

“Our findings indicate that he is being pressured and prompted to do so and not entirely on his personal interest and will to run, this we consider not healthy for him and the country.

“That ex-President Jonathan is being pushed prompted and cajoled with four years carrot of the presidency for us is not enough for him to contest the coming presidential election on the decision of others, urging him. We are aware its some Northern Governors one of who wants to become his vice president making the whole thing look real to which we believe is a script of a scheme by a group of people somewhere and this is suspect.

“The reason and motive we believe is not clear to even himself hence he is skeptical about the whole thing. The idea that Nigerians (common and otherwise) see him as a good and well-meaning man capable of being the president of their dream Nigeria in the next four years and want him to return to power now is welcome palatable and tempting enough but it behooves one to ask questions when that same idea is rooted in unclear and shrouded motive of the movers of the motion. The common Nigerian may be calling on him with clear and unbridle motive can we say the same for the political shylocks?” the statement reads.

They reiterated there fears stating, “To us it becomes delicate and even dangerous for the person of Dr Jonathan to under such circumstance to accept to run. It is also dangerous for the country if under such circumstance he runs and something happens to him the whole country will be plunged into chaos.

“Its ominous because the initiators appear same set of people who ganged up and pushed him out of power in the first place makes the whole thing difficult to accept. We cannot accept the call to bringing him to run on face value when there are a lot doubtable reasons for us to believe he may be walking into another Bobby trap one more dangerous than the one he once experienced.

“The focal question here is what is their motive of wanting him back? Why the desperation for Jonathan to contest? What do they stand to gain?

“As much as the bate for another four year for Jonathan is much tempting we are too concern and suspicious to swallow line, hook and sinker without the necessary questions we are pondering.

“Yes, we are elated Jonathan our kinsman, an Ijaw son and a Niger Deltan is soon to return to power to put things right for all Nigerians but we do not want him to soon after become a guinea pig or sacrificial lamb of some sort because we want Nigeria to better. Dr Goodluck Jonathan is a more valuable and profitable asset to us alive, especially as ex-president, than dead.

“He could walk into the office of any president in office in Nigeria and any where in the world and whisper to him the problems of our people and region and find middle course solution to them.

“Had the Igbos our neighbours same opportunity and have the likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi and chief Chukwuemeka Odumagwu Ojukwu alive today and interacting with the Nigeria leadership they would not be so desperate and anxious to so fiercely clamour and agitate for a Biafran country as they have people to shoulder their problems and speak for them.”

The statement further reads, “For the office of president in 2023 Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is very well qualified if not the most qualified but we cannot allow Dr Goodluck Jonathan to run except he tell us and in clear terms that it is his personal decision to do so and for good reasons.

“Also those sponsoring and urging him must come clean with equity, take a step further to assure and guarantee us and all Nigerians and even the international community that they have nothing sinister up their sleeves in their clamor for him to come and contest. His safety throughout the four years they have to guarantee us”