Though he has constantly denied or dispelled the rumours milling around that he will ditch his party, PDP and join APC, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is being closely watched by his party and Nigerians since the rumours began.
It is repeatedly said, in politics, there is no permanent friend or permanent enemy but permanent interest. This is why our today’s politicians are bereft of any political ideology rather than how to be in power or remain relevant within the political space.
Since the return of democracy in 1999, Nigerians have been witnessing frequent defection or cross carpeting of politicians from one political party to another. Even those who were elected to power suddenly changed their minds and ditched the party in which they rode to power. It will not be a surprise if the former president joins the ruling party. Jonathan is a bonafide member of PDP. He is also a beneficiary of the party’s magnanimity. It was through the party he rose to the zenith of his political career.
Since the defeat of PDP in the 2015 and 2019 general elections, the party, which tasted power for 16 years is yet to find its voice and play the expected opposition role. The party has been enmeshed in leadership crises.
Does Jonathan’s defection rumour have to do with how the party treats him? It has been reported that most of the party’s decisions are taken without the former president being consulted or involved. If it is true, the former president has been relegated from the party’s activities as being insinuated, he is right to look for recognition and respect from other parties. Besides, in the wake up of the 2015 general elections, a splitting group emerged and opposed Jonathan’s re-election. The group, which named itself as newPDP comprised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Kwankwaso etc. The nPDP coalesced into APC and worked against Jonathan election bid. Ahead of the 2019 elections, most of the members of newPDP left APC and returned to their former party. In fact, Atiku Abubakar emerged as the presidential candidate of the party but lost to Buhari. Can Jonathan forgive members of this group who worked for his defeat and are now under the same umbrella? The Bayelsa state gubernatorial election, which was held on 22nd November, last year, in which PDP lost the election to APC before it got it through court pointed that the former president was no longer with his party.
Since the time he took over the party as interim National Chairman Extra-ordinary Convention, Governor Mai Mala Buni, has been reaching out to many big politicians in a bid to woe them to join the APC. Luckily, under his watch, three governors and some members of the National Assembly cross carpeted. Also, Buni had last time visited the former president but refused to open up on what actually transpired between the duo. However, the recent interview granted to Channels TV by the secretary of the extra-ordinary convention committee, said a lot about the former president’s defection rumours. If the APC successfully woes the former president into its fold, it is strategically weakening the crises-ridden PDP ahead of the 2023 general election and building a strong alliance with South South, in case it will not zone the party’s ticket to South West. As the 2023 general election draws closer, the defection of former President Goodluck Jonathan to APC will shape or change the political permutations of both the ruling and opposition parties.
Ibrahim Mustpha lives in Pambegua, Kaduna State
