The Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanakpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro-led National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE-A, has lampooned the former President Goodluck Jonathan, for his purported endorsement of the presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is also the presidential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general elections in 2023.
A section of the Nigerian media had reported that the Ijaw-born former President had during a prayer session at a consultation visit to him by the running mate to Abubakar, Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, referred to his visitor as the incoming Vice President, a statement His Excellency, Akpodoro said was “reckless and in bad taste.”
His Excellency Akpodoro expressed regrets that a supposed highly rated Jonathan could be so petty as to subtly endorse the candidature of a Fulani man to succeed another even when all well-meaning Nigerians from the northern extraction overwhelming stand in opposition to Atiku’s emergence as the President of Nigeria in 2023 based on the need to foster, national cohesion, peace and unity on the platter of fair play.
The Gbaregolor, Ughelli South Local Government Area-born youth leader, wondered “why the former President chose to sustain his insult to the collective sensibilities of Nigerians.”
He added that the former leader, who is a PDP stalwart, undermined the ambition of southern Nigeria to endorse another Fulani man.
He said, “Jonathan goofed badly, little wonder he lost the election as sitting President due to gross indiscretion on the part of the lecturer-turned-politician.”
On a gentleman’s agreement, the Mayor noted that Nigerians are poised to elect a President of Southern Nigerian extraction in 2023 as opposed to what he described as unwarranted endorsement of a man who betrayed his region for personal ambition.
His Excellency advised the former Nigerian leader to tread softly to avoid the ‘same pitfalls’ that made him lose re-election in 2015. He maintained that the best thing to do was for all southern-Nigerian leaders to queue behind the presidential candidates from the South saying, playing games with the need to enthrone a southern presidency would not be allowed in the race to the 2023 presidency.
“Now we know better why the former President lost his re-election in 2015, inconsistency and indiscretion are huge challenges to Mr Jonathan because those words make no meaning to him.
“Rather than endorse Okowa, His Excellency stated that Mr Jonathan should throw his weight behind Governor Nyesom Wike’s insistence on the resignation of the National Chairman of the PDP and the governor of Delta State should not be endorsed by anyone for sake of equity and brotherhood, noting that the Governor of Rivers State is the only leader capable of leading the heterogenous south-south region to the promised land,” he said.
The coalition expressed the belief that Governor Wike is the only voice in the wilderness opposed to the perfidy and disgrace meted out by the PDP as “championed by the duo of Atiku and Okwa” to Southern Nigerian by “arm-twisting the region” over the ticket of the major opposition party which he described as stolen.
“In Wike, Southern Nigeria has a voice although, lonely for now, but in due course, his voice will arouse actions against the enemies of peace in Nigeria. We refuse to negotiate the return of power to the South, we refuse the perfidy and the arrogance of one man against the overwhelming majority of Nigerians, we won’t pander to Okowa’s grandstanding and inordinate ambition, we won’t allow him to eat his cake and have it, nothing can more insulting.
“Nigerians saw Jonathan’s grandstand for the APC presidential ticket prior to the party’s national convention, in the spirit of what he reportedly did now, he kept Nigerians guessing in a hide and seek manner then, an act peculiar to the PDP. May God don’t allow the umbrella party rule Nigeria again.
“Jonathan should withdraw those statements believed to be an inadvertent and unwitting endorsement of Okowa. Mr Okowa will never be Vice President in Nigeria because what we beg God for in the South is the President and not a Vice President,” the vociferous Mayor stated.
(Vanguard)
