Jonathan Not Running With El-Rufai, Not Dumping PDP – Omokri

A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has said his former principal will not dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reports had emerged that the ruling APC was planning to field Jonathan and the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai for the 2023 presidential election.

Top sources which spoke with SaharaReporters noted that the former President is being considered by the party because of his influence in the southern region, while El-Rufai is being used as vice for him to become president when the presidency is again zoned to the North.

One of the sources said, “There are plans already to pair El-Rufai with Jonathan for 2023. We believe both forces are strong and have goodwill in their regions and are good for the party.”

It was gathered that pressure has been mounted on Jonathan to join the APC ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

But speaking on Wednesday while featuring on a PUNCH Online interview programme, The Roundtable, Reno Omokri said the former president has no intention to run for president in 2023.

on the report that El-Rufai and Jonathan would be a pair in the next election, Omokri said, “They are trying to put that story out there to put pressure as to promote Nasir El-Rufai as a presidential candidate.

“I spoke to former President Jonathan just before this interview. That story is a lie, quote me. Nasir El-Rufai will be the last person if former President Jonathan is thinking of running, of which he is not even thinking of running.”

On the defection rumours, Omokri said Jonathan has always been a member of a political party all his life.

“The best judge of future behaviour is past behaviours. Former President Jonathan has been in one party all through his life. He is 63 years old and he doesn’t have that kind of history. He doesn’t have that kind of reputation. To the best of my knowledge, former President Jonathan is not leaving the People Democratic Party, He is a very loyal man just like me,” he said.