Former president Goodluck Jonathan has dispelled allegation that he is taking side with the five aggrieved governors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP): Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State) and Samuel Ortom (Benue State), to continue agitate the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu before the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
The erstwhile Bayelsa governor in a press release signed by his Media Aide, Ikechukwu Eze, debunked insinuations that Jonathan belongs to any camp in respect to the current crisis rocking the PDP.
“Our attention has been drawn to news media and social media reports linking former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s name to the current troubles in the Peoples Democratic Party with a false claim that the aggrieved PDP governors are demonstrating their loyalty to him.
“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.
“It is Dr. Jonathan’s wish that the PDP is able to resolve its internal crisis, unite all members and have a good showing in the forthcoming 2023 elections.
“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.
“We would have ignored the strange tale since it is obviously baseless. However, we are offering this clarification because we have been reached by many Nigerians, who are concerned that such fabrication with a vague and suspicious attribution could be given undeserved prominence on the front pages of some national dailies,” the statement reads in part.
