2023: Former President Jonathan Makes U-turn, Meets with Fulani Group

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday, met with the Fulani cattle breeders who bought his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the presidential ticket of this All Progressives Congress (APC).

Members of the Fulani community volunteerily contributed and procured the N100 million presidential nomination forms for him last night.

According to Vanguard, the former president reportedly met with the Fulani pastoralists between 11:00p.m on Monday and 1:00a.m on Tuesday to sort out issues regarding their purchase of the forms without his consent, a development, which made him reject the offer and denounce those involved in the action.

“We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it,” Jonathan had said in a statement by his media aid, Ikechukwu Eze.

The leader of the team that procured the form for him, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, is said to have apologised to the former president and pleaded with him to pardon their indiscretion and accept the offer to run.

The herdsmen are said to have told Jonathan that they bought the form for him as a demonstration of their appreciation for the N60 billion investments he made for the Almajiris during his tenure in the form of schools and investment opportunities.

A source at the meeting noted that after listening to the Fulani community, Jonathan reluctantly accepted their plea to consider running for the APC ticket as suggested by them and promised to give them a feedback as soon as possible but did not however, give a specific date.

The former president also asked the Fulani community never to embark on any political assignment on his behalf without first clearing with him given his position in Nigeria and the international community.

Jonathan is said to have also told the Fulani delegation that he was uncomfortable to hear about the purchase of the nomination form for him just like any other person, an action, which he considered insulting to his status as a former president of Nigeria.