2023: Why Tinubu, Shettima, 5 APC govs met Jonathan

The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday night, met with former President Goodluck Jonathan at his Abuja residence.

They are said to have undertaken the visit to appeal to him to support the APC in the 2023 general elections.

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 Others on Tinubu’s entourage were the director-general of his campaign council and governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun; Zamfara Governor Bello Matawalle; Jigawa Governor Abubakar Badaru and their Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

 Multiple sources who spoke with Daily Trust yesterday said Tinubu’s team solicited Jonathan’s support for APC’s victory come the 2023 presidential election.

One of the sources said, “Jonathan is a father in the country now because he is a former president. He was one of our presidential aspirants that didn’t show up. So if you are talking of Jonathan, you are talking of APC; he is our member.

 “So what they discussed basically was the issue of Tinubu contesting with Shettima on same faith ticket. As it is now, Tinubu and his supporters have started reaching out to people who are Christians to see the essence of voting a Muslim/Muslim ticket in 2023.” 

 Another source privy to the meeting said, “The former president was very receptive. He was very comfortable with us. He was happy that they visited him.”

 Reacting to the visit on Wednesday, an ex-aide to Jonathan, Reno Omokri, said Tinubu attacked Jonathan’s administration from 2010 to 2015, stressing that the former president did not bear any grudges against him.

 He described Jonathan as the best leader Nigeria ever had.

 Similarly, a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, commended Jonathan for receiving Tinubu and Shettima with “respect and joy.”