Barring last-minute changes, Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has agreed to attend the National convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), slated for May 29, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, SaharaReporters report.
Top sources said this was one of the highlights after the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, visited the former president at his Abuja residence in the Maitama district on Tuesday.
The fresh PDP’s parley with Jonathan is amid controversies that the former president would seek re-election on the platform of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the last two weeks,it was reported that the former president was being mobilised by northern forces to seek re-election in 2023 on the platform of the APC.
Though Jonathan denied the media reports that he purchased the N100 million APC presidential expression of interest and nomination forms, his recent meeting with APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, suggested otherwise.
“At the meeting on Tuesday, Jonathan and Ortom met behind closed-door for about 40 minutes. And Jonathan was convinced to remain in PDP,” a source close Ortom told SaharaReporters.
Another aide of the governor disclosed that Ortom, who was the Minister of State, trade and investment under the administration of Jonathan, also met with the ex-president to lobby him to attend the forthcoming PDP national convention.
“The party wants to lobby Jonathan to attend the National Convention and work for the PDP ahead and during the 2023 general elections.
“From oga’s (Ortom) body language and excitement, it’s clear that the former president will attend the PDP presidential nomination,” he said.
