Former President Jonathan's Speculated Defection to APC: Assessing the Motivations and Consequences

Strategic Insights -

The decision of former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been met with mixed reactions, with some speculating that his actions are driven by personal ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election. However, Dr. Salihu Moh Lukman, Director-General of the APC Progressive Governors Forum, has warned that Jonathan's defection to the APC should not be tied to electoral contestation. Instead, Lukman suggests that Jonathan's participation in the APC can be beneficial in the capacity of a member of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT), where he can provide moral leadership and guidance.

Key Takeaways:

  • The inability of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to give former President Goodluck Jonathan deserving recognition and appreciation has been cited as a reason for his speculated plan to dump the PDP for the APC.
  • Dr. Salihu Moh Lukman, Director-General of the APC Progressive Governors Forum, has warned that Jonathan's defection to the APC should not be tied to electoral contestation in the 2023 presidential election.
  • Jonathan's participation in the APC can be beneficial in the capacity of a member of the APC BoT, where he can provide moral leadership and guidance.
  • The APC's high-profile membership recruitment, including the recent defection of two governors, has sparked speculation about the party's plans for the 2023 election.
  • The APC's Secretary, Sen. Akpan Udoedehe, has confirmed that anyone who joins the party will be free to contest.
  • The objective of recruiting high-profile members should not be reduced to the issue of contesting election, but rather focused on providing moral leadership and guidance.
  • Jonathan's decision to join the APC has been linked to the party's inability to create responsibilities that match his stature, with some suggesting that bringing him into the party could be used to settle the question of the roles of former Presidents within the APC.

Statistics:

  • Less than two years remain before the 2023 presidential election.
  • Two of the governors who recently joined the APC from the PDP are speculated to have done so because of ambition for the 2023 election.
  • The APC has recently seen the defection of two governors and has been speculated to be considering former President Jonathan for a potential presidential ticket.

Sources:

  • https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/former-president-jonathan-departing-pdp-for-joining-apc-is-a-big-gamble/
  • https://dailytrust.com/its-ripe-for-all-former-presidents-to-join-apc-archives
  • https://punchng.com/fanis-kayode-wont-contest-election-apc-caretaker-committee/