Jonathan Finally Bows to Pressure, joins APC presidential race

 By Aviashima Toom, Abuja

After months of pressure to return back to power, former President Goodluck Jonathan has finally bows to pressure, joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential race.

A group called the Normadic Pastoralists and Almajiri communities (APAC) led by Ibrahim Abdullahi picked the expression of interest and nomination forms for the former President on Monday in Abuja

According to him, they have purchased the form for the former president, to come back and rule this country and continue with the good work he has started.

Abdullahi stressed that, the former president brought a comprehensive policy of reformation and integration of Almajiri into the mainstream educational system in Nigeria.

“It was the dream and the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan, that if that programme had continue would one day, produce from the almajiri system of education, doctors, engineers, unlike what is obtained today.

“Unfortunately, that programme was kept aside as soon as he left, the other part of the community the is vulnerable community Goodluck Jonathan wanted to really give a sense of belonging to the Fulani community and nomadic pastoralists

When asked if Goodluck have agreed to run for presidency Abdullahi said: “As you may have heard a lot of you know interest groups have been coming out to urge him to contest but we felt that because of the deadline that was given whether he agrees or not, we need to purchase this form. Goodluck Jonathan is not for Goodluck Jonathan alone but for all Nigeria’s.

“We are ready not only to purchase this form for President Goodluck Jonathan, but I want to assure you that our communities, the nomadic pastoralists has the voting power of about 9 million plus the advisory who also can produce about 5 million, about 14 million, all we are asking other Nigerians is to give give us at least 2 million and we are home and right.

“Recall that he set aside 60 billion naira in the cofers of the Central Bank of Nigeria, which was to be used to develop livestock in Nigeria. I believe that if government has continued with that programme, today, we will have been like Denmark, Sweden, the whole of the entire Africa, we could have been what Denmark sees in Europe, in terms of livestock production, in terms of milk, in terms of beef, and so on.

"We call Nigerians to support these projects, if you are talking about Goodluck Jonathan, I don’t think there is any aspirants so far that we have seen that can be compared in any way with his candidature or else if Nigerians are not serious or else if we don’t want to reintegrate and unite in this country, unless if you want to continue playing the politics of religion playing the politics of tribalism, you can see I’m a Fulani man coming from the Far North.

He further called on other aspirants to withdraw and support the former President.