2023 Presidency: Group Makes Fresh Case for Jonathan to Contest

Sunday Aborisade

A group of Nigerian professionals in politics yesterday in Abuja, added their voice to the call on former president Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2023 presidential election.

They were however silent on the political party under which they would want him to contest.

Operating under the auspices of the Coalition of Nigerian Professionals in Politics (CNPP), the group described Jonathan as the best democrat, the country had ever produced.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the National Coordinator of CNPP, Dr. Ibrahim Baba, assured the erstwhile president that the group had structures across the country to ensure victory for him.

Baba said: “Looking at those who have so far indicated interest in contesting for the presidency, none, in our estimation, is better qualified than Jonathan for the job description.

“He will come on board with an experience of his strengths which he needs to consolidate on and shortcomings which he will redress in order to serve better than in his first term.

“At this critical period, the progress and well-being of Nigerians cannot be experimented with new comers who will spend time on team building and learning on the job.

“Therefore, we ask that Nigerians be presented a ready candidate who will not waste precious

time navigating his or her way through trials and errors?

“Another of Jonathan’s high prospects is his well-known reputation for accommodating all, his belief in the destiny of his country and his ability to recruit Nigerians both in and outside the country to offer their unstinted service to their fatherland irrespective of social, political and religious creed.”

According to Baba, although Jonathan is from the least of the regions of the country, his call was for a great unifier of the country, an attribute he said the former president had displayed in convincing measure both in and out of office.

“A man with this type of credentials is, surely, the type of man Nigeria needs right now to be able to reach her peak,” he added.

Baba cited the case of the almajiri school programme in which Jonathan built many hybrid schools in the northern part of the country to provide opportunity for millions of out-of-school children and to bridge the gap between

the north and south of our country.”

He said, “As former president who was a friend to all and an enemy to none, Jonathan has proven capacity and goodwill to mobilise Nigerians from all walks of life to participate in the arduous task of nation-building.”