Chief Osita Chidoka of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has stated that he never expressed interest in running for President in 2023 during his final chat with former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He also stated that if the former President wishes to run for President, he would come out boldly to proclaim his desire, adding that he does not need to be enticed into the race by anybody.
Chidoka, a former minister of aviation, claimed Jonathan did not express any interest in running for any public position in the last conversation he had with him.
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Chidoka, on the other hand, feels that Jonathan’s old principal was a “leading light of the PDP,” and that all he has to do now is announce his interest.
This was said by the former minister during an appearance on Arise TV on Saturday.
“As for President Goodluck Jonathan, I have not addressed #GEJiscoming with him,” he claims.
In our most recent chat, he expressed no desire in running for any public position.
“He’s in a wonderful spot because he represents something that people from all walks of life can identify with. From his time in government, he has learned valuable things.
“He is in that position that he is the leading light of the PDP as he came into power from Deputy Governor to President in the PDP. I believe his political future would be determined by making public choices.
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“I don’t think former President Jonathan would be in that position where he is being called to come and be president.
“If he wants to be president, he would come out boldly and say, ‘I want to be president of Nigeria again because I have the experience and have the capacity to bring back peace in Nigeria and to restore capacity in Nigeria’”.
He said the Bayelsa-born politician can make that case for himself, adding that he does not need to be lured by anyone to run for presidency.
“The] President Jonathan I know, if he has made up his mind to run, would indicate so, and I am sure he will if he makes up his mind to run,” he said.
There are speculations that the former President is being lured to return to power by some Northern politicians to complete a four-year term then return power to the North.
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Jonathan and the PDP were defeated by President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress in 2015, ending the PDP’s 16 years of rulership in Nigeria.
President Buhari, on Friday, signed the Electoral Act into law and this was swiftly followed by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, fixing February 25, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said the adjustment of date became necessary in view of the need to comply with the Electoral Act, 2022, and the constitution of the country.
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