Jonathan yet to speak on contesting 2023 presidency – Spokesman

Spokesman to former President Goodluck Jonathan has refuted claims that his principal is seeking a return to office as Nigeria president in 2023.

“There was nothing like that,” Jonathan’s spokesman Ikechukwu Eze said in a statement.

“The former President has not made any comments nor spoken to anyone on the coming elections.”

Jonathan was Nigeria’s president from 2009 till 2015.

He succeeded former president Uma’aru Musa Ya’ardua who died in office after an illness.

Jonathan contested and lost his reelection bid to current Nigeria president Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, ending the 16-years of Nigeria government under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Since then, the former president has been rumoured to be eyeing a return to the office. Jonathan denied the claims before the 2019 presidential election which Buhari won to get his second tenure as Nigeria president.

Barely seven months since Buhari’s swearing-in for a second term in office, rumours of Jonathan wanting to contest for the office of president in 2023 resurfaced, but Eze said it was not true.

“He (Jonathan) is busy concentrating on his foundation, The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), and its work of promoting peace, sustainable democracy and youth empowerment in Africa,” Eze said,

He opined that the recent rumours are recycled stories that were circulated on the internet before the 2019 general elections.

“If you check online, you will discover that a story with similar headline had been published in the past by few shady online sources,” Eze said.