Proponents of the emerging opposition coalition are reportedly planning to engage with former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Sources reveal that a “well coordinated” lobbying effort is already underway by some of the former president’s political associates and friends.
According to a source familiar with the political permutations, two prominent figures in the coalition, former Senate President David Mark and the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, are expected to meet with Jonathan this week to continue the discussions.
Read Also: Why Northern Muslims Opposed My Presidency After Yar’Adua’s Death – Jonathan
Mark is reportedly set to become the acting national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party that the coalition may adopt for the 2027 elections.
The anticipated meeting is said to have been brokered by a member of the House of Representatives who is also a strong member of the Green Movement, a political group founded by Jonathan two decades ago.
This development comes despite former First Lady Patience Jonathan’s earlier statement that her husband would not run for the presidency in 2027.
As part of the effort to woo Jonathan, the coalition forces have reportedly brokered a truce among key political stakeholders in Jonathan’s home state of Bayelsa.
The source indicated that two former governors of the state and a top appointee in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have reconciled their differences.
This reconciliation reportedly reached a high point last week when the NDDC official visited Bayelsa for an official function.
The source explained the political dynamics, stating, “You know the two former governors have never been friends politically… So when we did our findings, we discovered that the current governor Diri has already finalised arrangements to defect to the APC and for one of the former governors this is political suicide because it will retire him.”
The NDDC official is also reportedly not in favor of Governor Diri’s defection to the APC, as it could jeopardize his own gubernatorial ambitions.
“He wants to be governor and he is convinced Diri’s defection to APC will truncate that ambition; so he is also looking at a fresh platform and that is why he was open to reconciling with the other former governor so that they can be same page,” the source added.
The source further mentioned that one of the former governors is hesitant to join the APC due to potential legal challenges to his career within his current party.
“All those Jonathan’s associates who were members of the Green Movement in Bayelsa have this same feeling and that is why they are inclined towards the coalition,” the source concluded.
Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2
