BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Former President Goodluck Jonathan has formally endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the 2023 presidential elections.
Obviously putting to rest speculations about his stand on the presidential candidate to support in next year’s polls, Jonathan expressed readiness and willingness to support and work for the success of the PDP in next year’s polls.
He officially declared support for the Atiku-Okowa’s joint ticket and described Okowa as Nigeria’s ‘incoming Vice President’ when the Delta State Governor led a PDP delegation to visit him in Abuja.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, the former Number One, who indicated that the main opposition party has his unshakable support, is seen pulling Okowa from his seat, holding a plate of kola nuts, and praying that God grant his visitor ‘acceptability’ among the Nigerian electorate next year.
Jonathan said; “We pray that this kola nut being presented to all of us will give us more energy, more acceptability, and more success in all our endeavours. Especially for those who want to represent us from next year”.
And specifically turning to Okowa, he said; “(This is) for our incoming Vice President, who has spent his two terms as governor and needs to move (up)”.
Earlier, Governor Okowa had said the purpose of their visit was to seek the support, guidance, prayers, and blessings of President Jonathan, stressing that it was impossible to embark on such a gigantic mission without recourse to the former Nigerian leader
He said having become an elder statesman, Jonathan was playing the role as expected, adding that it was important to pay him homage before the campaigns intensified with the party poised for victory in February 2023.
In his speech, the Vice Presidential candidate told Jonathan; “We are here for the fact it is difficult for the party to truly go on, even as we flag off our campaign, without formally coming to request that though we are very conversant with the fact that you are playing an elder statesman role, not just within our nation but outside the country and indeed Africa, there is a need for us to come forth to plead that you need to give us guidance.
“You will also offer us prayers and find a way to add your voice both privately and even publicly in many situations that we call on you to speak on behalf of this nation and on behalf of the PDP”.
Top PDP stalwarts, who were part of the delegation, included Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, former Adamawa State Governor Boni Haruna, ex-Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, and Ndudi Elumelu, Minority Leader of House of Representatives, among others.
The PDP flag bearers, Atiku and Okowa, are set to slug it out with candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima; Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed; and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)’s Rabiu Kwankwaso and Isaac Idahosa in the 2023 presidential polls.
