Supporters of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who in November, 2022, endorsed Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have commenced grassroots mobilisation in the South East and South South geopolitical zones of the country for the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Jonathan’s supporters, who are members of Citizens Network for Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPDN), while flagging off the campaign, held in Porthacourt, Rivers State capital, said the next president of Nigeria must emerge from the Southern part of the country.
Earlier in the year, CNPDN, was among the first Southern Coalition to openly urge former President Jonathan to run for office on the platform of the APC.
The Coalition had also involved prominent Southern leaders to prevail on Jonathan to join the race. Jonathan who promised to consult widely, reneged at the last minute, paving the way for Tinubu to emerge as the presidential candidate of APC.
National secretary of the Coalition, Mr. Francis Okereke Wainwei, who hails from Bayelsa State while briefing newsmen, said they unanimously resolved to support and vote Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential election in 2023.
Wainwei said leaders and members of the Coalition, have also aligned themselves with the position of the Northern Governors Forum of the APC and the Southern Governors’ Forum, who had declared for a Southern President in 2022023.
He said the primary reason for the support of Southern President in 2023, is to promote national unity, equity, fairness and justice.
“In the same vein, our position that the next President of this country should come from the South is driven by same vision and principles,’ he told newsmen.
Adding, he noted that “we believe strongly that such will strengthen the unity and peace of the nation; it will give a better sense of belonging to the people of Southern Nigeria and foster a more viable peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.”
