2023 Presidency: Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign posters flood Abuja
Posters with messages urging former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the next presidential election in 2023, have flooded the major streets of Abuja, further fuelling speculations about the ex-president’s next political move.
The, which posters bore the simple message, “Goodluck Jonathan: You Must Run”, was splashed on major streets of Abuja, although mostly concentrated on Blantyre Street in Wuse 2 District, which houses the national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the posters didn’t have the logo or name of any political party. Under the existing Electoral Act 2022, there is no provision for independent candidacy.
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Should Jonathan elect to run, he must, according to the law, pitch his tent with any of the several political parties.
Since leaving office in 2015, Jonathan has refrained from participating in political activities in both his home state, Bayelsa, and at the national level.
He, however, has been active on the international stage, representing international organisations like the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mediate in crisis-ravaged countries.
When contacted, Jonathan’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, disassociated the former president from the posters.
He, however conceded that his boss has been flooded with inquiries on whether or not he would contest the 2023 presidential election, and on what platform.
“We are not in any way associated with any campaign poster. Should His Excellency former President Goodluck Jonathan choose to contest, he is eminently qualified to do so.
“After all, in 2015, nobody advised Goodluck Jonathan before he called to concede defeat and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari. In like manner, nobody should talk of influencing the former president to run or not to run.
“If he’s going to run or not, it’s a question of time and shall be his personal decision. It is within the rights of people to pressure him to run. But it is also within his own right to run or not. The fact remains that he is very constitutionally qualified to run,” Eze stated.
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