A nationwide survey has shown that despite his silence, Nigerians are eager to see former President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his intention to run for country’s foremost office in2023.
The study conducted by a political interest research group, Fourth Dimension Cloud Poll (4-DCP) indicated that there were behind the scenes in the political circles that Nigerians of different ethnic extraction, political organisations and power brokers among major political parties are waiting for Jonathan to publicly declare his interest for the race.
This was revealed yesterday in Abuja in a second quarter special report (1) signed by the lead researcher, Dr. Richard Audi..
He said, “Based on coordinated research undertaken by our field specialists to determine Nigeria’s political direction and Nigerians’ expectations in the 2023 presidential election with special reference to behind the scene happenings among political parties, groups, ethnic and religious groups and the permutation is obviously in favour of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ).
“The political actors are all waiting. Leaders of ethnic nationalities and religious groups have expressed their willingness to lay aside every difference and work with GEJ because he is a man of peace and he can also be trusted,” he stated.
The report further said, “One thing that is not, however, certain in the behind the scene engagement, among political actors is the final outcome of the entire permutations, and that is, whether Jonathan will eventually succumb to pressure, accept and declare to run.”
There have been reports that certain persons in President Muhammadu Buhari administration and the leadership of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) have been putting pressure on Jonathan to publicly accept to succeed Buhari.
It is also believed that the cabal and the former president are trying to iron out grey areas in the conditions given by Jonathan