A group known as the Association of Fulani-Almajir Monday night obtained the N100 million All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential forms for former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The group said they paid the exorbitant price of the forms with funds raised from the sales of cows to ensure Jonathan whom they described as the best president for Nigeria to return to Aso Rock in 2023.
Addressing journalists shortly after collecting the expression of interest and nomination forms at the Abuja International Conference Centre, Ibrahim Abdullahi, leader of the group said Jonathan was the first president since the independence of Nigeria who was magnanimous to them.
He said: “Remember the almajari community, he brought a comprehensive policy of reformation and intergretion of the almajari into the mainstream educational system in Nigeria. It was the dream and the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan that if that programme had continued it would one day produce from the almajiri system of education; doctors, engineers.
“Unfortunately, that programme was kept aside as soon as he left. Other parts of the community ( the vulnerable community) that Goodluck Jonathan wanted to really give a sense of belonging was the Fulani community, the nomadic pasturalist.”
Abdullahi noted that Jonathan had set aside N60 billions in the Central Bank of Nigeria which was to be used to develop livestocks in Nigeria, saying if government had continued with that programme “today, we will have been the Denmark, the Sweden, the Holland of the entire Africa in terms of livestock, in terms of beef and so on.
“Looking at this, situation and of course the problems Nigeria today is facing, we believe that only a leader with that kind of patriotism, a leader with that kind of fairness who is ready to give every Nigerian sense of belonging can be able to rule this country and that leader is Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
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“As you may have heard, a lot of interest groups have been coming out to urge him to contest but we felt that because is the deadline that was given whether he agrees or not we need to purchase this form. Goodluck Jonathan is for all Nigeria. As a Nigerian we believe has interest of this country at heart, he will accept us.
“You can see that we are almost late to buy these forms, we have been trying with the Almajiri and the Fulani selling our cows. We were able to raise this cow just yesterday and we decided to come and purchase these forms. Let Nigerians support this project. If you are talking about Goodluck Jonathan, I don’t think there is any aspirant so far that we have seen that can be compared in any way with Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“Unless if Nigerians are not serious, unless if we don’t want to integrate and unite in this country, unless if you want to continue playing the politics of religion, tribalism. You see I am a Fulani man, coming from the far north but I tell there is no Nigerian today that I can cast my vote for, campaign vote except Jonathan. For me, Jonathan is the best amongst all the aspirants, irrespective of where he comes from, religion.
“Goodluck Jonathan is the best president for Nigeria and I hope with this purchase of forms today, I call on all the aspirants if the are really patriotic, if the want Nigeria unity, if they can want sense of belonging if they want a president for all, if they want a president that has come out to say his ambition does not worth the blood of any Nigerian” he concluded, indicating that the former president is an All Progressives Congress party member.
