Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied working against the interest of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the Bayelsa state.
Incumbent governor Seriake Dickson was said to have imposed his preferred candidate, Senator Douye Diri, on the party, a development that has led to many becoming aggrieved, while a few have defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
An aspirant and closed associate of the ex-president is one of aggrieved, and Jonathan is said to have been hesitant to rally support for Diri, instead seems to have some affection for David Lyon, the APC candidate.
According to dependable sources, Jonathan reaffirmed his support for the PDP candidate when the six governors of the party met him at his in Abuja residence to seek his support for the party’s candidate, Senator Douye Diri.
The governors that met the former president were Abia state Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, Oyo, Engr Seyi Makinde, Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, Taraba, Arch Darius Ishaku and his Bauchi counterpart Senator Bala Mohammed.
The forum’s Director-General Earl Osaro Onaiwu represented the PDP Governors Forum at the high-profile meeting.
At the meeting, Jonathan was said to have asked the governors: “How can I be working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) when I am a frontline stakeholder and a Father of the PDP?
It was gathered that the governors pleaded with Jonathan was to support Diri notwithstanding any perceived grievances during the governorship primaries.
Accordingly, the former President promised thereafter to use his influence as a leader in the state to campaign for Diri’s electoral victory.
“If the PDP is defeated, the report would be that Jonathan loses state to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and not Governor Dickson. Who is Dickson to Jonathan.
“We made it clear to him that his name and influence are 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 brainchild of some politicians who wants to cash in on his humility and political lifestyle,” the source said.
