Former President Gooluck Jonathan has denied backing the aggrieved governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party over the internal crisis bedevilling the PDP ahead of the 2023 general election.
There were reports that the aggrieved PDP Governors, including Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), otherwise known as G5, were encouraged by Jonathan.
The governors have since been calling for the removal of the PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu.
The aggrieved governors have insisted that it is unfair for the main opposition party to have the national chairman and presidential candidate from the northern region, stressing that Ayu should resign his position for justice, equity, and fairness in the PDP.
Reacting to the reports linking him to the governors, the former President, in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, described the reports as baseless, adding that the “duplicitous” statements did not emanate from the camps of those who truly wish the party well.
Eze stated: “We would like to make the point that it is not out of place if there were crises in a political party like the PDP and a former President who served under the party platform is called upon to intervene. That being the case, we initially did not see anything wrong with the headlines in some papers, indicating that the former President was being persuaded to help resolve the issues in the party.
“However, we are dismayed that the seemingly purpose-minded headlines were only cast to mask the mischief of the sponsors of the story and hoodwink the unsuspecting populace.
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“We believe that such duplicitous statements could not have emanated from the camps of those who truly wish the party well. It simply shows that the so called ‘sources’ of the story are not disposed to the peace and unity they pretend to be seeking in the PDP.
“How could anybody turn around in 2022 to accuse Jonathan of bearing a grudge against the PDP when the former President had campaigned vigorously for the party and its Presidential candidate during the 2019 elections?
“Those who insinuate that Dr. Jonathan is not happy with the PDP’s Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, because of whatever roles he played ahead of the 2015 elections forget that the former President actively campaigned for Atiku in 2019, attending the flag off of his campaigns in Sokoto and subsequently participating in the campaigns in some states like Rivers and Bayelsa.
“The fact that Dr. Jonathan stood out as an exemplary politician who, throughout his political career, abhorred treachery and mean-mindedness, and played politics without bitterness, needs no gainsay.
“Unlike many of his detractors, the former President has, out of office, progressed to a higher level of statesmanship, faithfully applying himself to causes that promote peace, love, unity and progress, across the entire west African sub-region.”
He noted that it is Jonathan’s wish that the PDP resolves its internal crisis and unite all members of the party ahead of the 2023 general election.
“We wish to however point out that it will be difficult to achieve this aspiration if some forces in the party continue to engage in mudslinging, disinformation and manifest tendencies that negate the values that are dear to loyal party members.
“Former President Jonathan had served this country meritoriously at both the state and federal levels. He has now been out of office for almost eight years and Nigerians have come to trust and love him for who he is.
“While in office, he had no enemies to fight. He still has no enemies to fight, now that he has become a private citizen,” the former President’s aide said.
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