BAYELSA GUBER: Jonathan speaks on claims he’s working for APC

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday debunked claims he was supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

Claims in some quarters had accused Jonathan of working against his own party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The speculations, which supposedly came up over alleged rift between the former president and Governor Seriake Dickson, appeared to have gained grounds following recent claims that Jonathan’s kinsmen, the Otueke people of Bayelsa, were rooting for the APC.

Also, Jonathan’s absence at the recent launch of PDP governorship campaign in Bayelsa, where Senator Douye Diri, the candidate of the PDP was presented to stakeholders, fuelled the speculations the more.

However, the former president, who it was learnt met with some PDP governors at his Abuja home at the weekend, denied supporting the APC.

A source who spoke to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday revealed that Jonathan was surprised at the claims.

He was said to have wondered how he, a frontline stakeholder and one of the fathers of the PDP, would contemplate supporting APC against his party.

The source said, “We made it clear to him that his name and influence is at stake and that he should do everything necessary by supporting Diri to become victorious in the November 16 elections.

“At the end, he said that as an elder and party leader that he has no personal grievances against Diri or Governor Dickson. That he is having problems was the brain child of some politicians who want to cash in on his humility and political lifestyle.”

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Jonathan was said to have given his visitors assurance that his support remains for the PDP and that he would soon join the campaign to make sure the party wins the governorship election.

States governors who were reported to have visited the former president were Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia; Seyi Makinde, Oyo; Dave Umahi, Ebonyi; Darius Ishaku, Taraba; Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto; and Bala Mohammed, Bauchi.

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