Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, no longer associates with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the treatment meted out to him by members when he sought re-election in 2015.
This is according to Chief Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), who affirmed on Tuesday that Jonathan had learnt his lesson.
Speaking while hosting members of Delta Central APC Leaders of Thought on a solidarity visit in his Abuja residence, he said PDP leaders from the north worked against Jonathan as they claimed that it was the region’s turn to produce the president.
According to him, many of the PDP governors from the north mobilised funds for the then-candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, against their own presidential flag bearer.
He lamented that the same northern governors in the PDP who had rejected zoning were now talking about competence and integrity in 2022.
The former Federal Commissioner of Information accused the party of manipulation leading to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2023 election.
Chief Clark stated: “Now coming home politically, Jonathan was the president for some time as the result of the death of President Yar’Adua. Jonathan ruled for about five years, he is a Christian and the northerners said it was their turn.
“From 2011, they have been worrying Jonathan. Even in 2015, the northern PDP leaders ganged up with APC, Tinubu and removed Jonathan from office. They did not campaign, Jonathan was on his own.
“So, when people say why Jonathan is not in PDP, now attending PDP meetings, I can safely say that he’s learning his lesson that the people he trusted did not trust him. They squandered the party’s money and left.
“So, when people say why is Jonathan not in PDP, he knows how they betrayed him, how the northern PDP governors contributed money towards Buhari’s success, how members of government betrayed him.
“The National Chairman of PDP at the time was Governor (Adamu) Mu’azu. He did not go to his hometown to campaign, he was only following Jonathan about, he knew what he was doing. Every one of them wanted Buhari to win. So, Buhari won. He has ruled for eight years.
