CNG Chides Purchase of Form for Jonathan 
The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has debunked reports that it bought the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential nomination form for former President Goodluck Jonathan, even as the Former President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the presidential form of the All Progressives Congress purchased for him on Monday by a Fulani group of supporters.
The CNG had, in a statement by its spokesman, Abdulazeez Sulaiman, said the reports that it purchased the 100 million naira presidential form for Jonathan were not true. Suleiman said: “The attention of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has been drawn to a piece of a deliberately confusing report that has been trending since the early evening of Monday, May 9th.
Meanwhile, Media Adviser to the former president, Ikechukwu Eze, had said in a statement that Jonathan did not authorise the group to purchase him the forms and added that the move by the group was ‘an insult’.
“We wish to categorically state that Dr Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it,” the statement read in part.
“We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door.”
Recall that since calls to join the race began, Jonathan has been one hopeful individual, and groups have called on him to join the race. However, the former President never gave a definite answer to the calls, neither did he speak of his defection to the ruling party.
Eze said: “While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians for Dr Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 Presidential election, we wish to state that he has not in anyway committed himself to this request.”
“Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is therefore advised to disregard it.”
On Monday, a group of Fulani and Almajirii coalition had purchased the APC presidential nomination form and the expression of interest form at the International Conference Centre in Abuja for Jonathan. The group noted that it wanted to beat the deadline for purchasing the form, adding that the former president would be the best candidate for the number one seat to continue the work he began for herders and Almajiri.
Recall also that in April, supporters of the former President had in a rally called on him to join the race.
Addressing them he said, “Yes, you are calling me to come and declare for the 2023 presidency, yes I can’t tell I am declaring; the political process is ongoing, just watch out,” he said at the time.
