2023: Jonathan’s candidature will bring calm to south-east, says southern group

A political pressure group known as the Southern Network for Good Governance says a Goodluck Jonathan candidature in 2023 will calm the “rage” of the south-east.

There has been a clamour for political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the southern part of the country.

The former president has not indicated interest in running for the highest office in the land.

In a statement on Tuesday, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, coordinator of the group, said having Jonathan run for the presidency will “balance the interests of all sections of the country”.

“GEJ’s candidature comes in handy in the political expediency of the moment to balance the interests of all sections of the country,” Chukwuemeka said.

“The south-west has been in the forefront for the pursuit of structural reforms in Nigeria to reflect current realities and again GEJ comes in handy having demonstrated the will by convening the 2014 National Reform Conference.

“No doubt, GEJ will consolidate on the successes of the restructuring drive of the Buhari administration especially in the area of judiciary and local government autonomy.

“GEJ’s candidature will assuage the rage of the south-east youths who have been robbed into a misunderstanding of the political equation being their kinsman.

“The south-east can attest to the array of political allies that Goodluck Jonathan has established in the political, economic and international spheres of endeavour.”

The coordinator said nobody has any reason to fear because Jonathan is not vengeful.

“He has proven not to be vengeful or hateful but selfless and favorably disposed to all regardless of political, social or religious creed. GEJ is the national consensus,” he said.

“A man who has been tried and tested is better than a million inexperienced ’experts’. In light of things, we need a national consensus not a quota president.”