The consultation between former President Goodluck Jonathan and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress for Jonathan to emerge as the presidential candidate has been rejected by support groups working for some presidential aspirants of the party.
Groups loyal to presidential aspirants of the party, including the APC National leader and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; in separate interviews with The PUNCH, dismissed the consensus plot for the ex-President.
It was also gathered that those who were behind the plot and some members of the National Working Committee of the party feared that it might not sail through.
It was learnt that although the plan had been announced, opposition to it was already swelling among members.
Besides Tinubu, Osinbajo, other members of the party in the presidential race include the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi.
The PUNCH had reported on Saturday that Jonathan had informed some APC leaders that he would only join the presidential race if he was directly endorsed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
The information was revealed to The PUNCH shortly after Jonathan’s posters flooded the national secretariat of the APC and some youth groups stormed Jonathan’s office in the Maitama area of Abuja, calling on him to join the Presidential race.
In his response, the former President had told protesters that he could not say for sure if he would declare or not but only advised his supporters to “watch out.”
The PUNCH subsequently learnt from top sources in the APC that there was a plan by some leaders in the APC and some elements in the Presidency to accede to Jonathan’s request.
A member of the APC National Executive Committee, who confided in one of our correspondents, said all presidential aspirants were aware of the plan to bring Jonathan in as the consensus candidate.
