Politics
Jonathan Speaks About Running For President Again
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed speculation that he might run for president again in the country.
The elder statesman claimed that running for the highest political office in the country would diminish him.
Jonathan stated that he cannot go around lobbying people and running for office.
Jonathan stated this in an interview published in the book “My Time As Chaplain In Aso Rock,” which was released to the public on Tuesday.
Nathaniel Bivan’s book contains the accounts of Obioma Onwuzurumba, the Chaplain of the Aso Rock Villa Chapel during the Jonathan administration.
“If you wake up tomorrow and see that I am President again, that means there may have been circumstances beyond my control,” Jonathan said in the interview. But not to go pick one form and start lobbying people and running for political office; I can’t do that again. If I do that, I will weaken myself.”
The former president also stated that he enjoyed the drama that surrounded the rumor that he had purchased the All Progressives Congress nomination form (APC)
Remember that Nomadic Pastoralists and Almajirai Community, led by Ibrahim Abdullahi, spent N100 million on nomination and expression of interest forms for Jonathan.
“I was enjoying the drama,” Jonathan said of the rumour. At the very least, they are not insulting me. After all, I was told on my way out of the office that I wasn’t good enough. So, if Nigerians are now saying, ‘Oh, this man should come,’ it means they are cleaning up after me. So please allow me to enjoy the drama.
“I was not bothered. I know I can’t go back to fighting for the presidency. Not only Nigerians, but also the majority of the top ambassadors – the American ambassador, the UK High Commissioner, France, and all of them – were asking me such questions. They came to see if I wanted to compete. I don’t think I’d run in any elections.
“If you wake up tomorrow and see that I’m President again, it means that there were events beyond my control.” But not to pick one form and go around Nigeria lobbying people and running for campaigns, be it PDP power or APC broom. I can’t do it again because it will diminish me.”
He stated that he is only concerned with restoring democracy in troubled African states.
“Assuming there’s some confusion, and things like that happen in countries,” Jonathan added. So they invite me to come and help stabilize things; we all want a stable democracy in which one leader hands over to another.
“Let us go through that process without disrupting democratic processes.” We hope that such things do not occur. Otherwise, I’d go ahead and say I’m running on the platform of any party. No!”