CONTRARY TO REPORTS THAT IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA GOODLUCK JONATHAN, IS OUT OF THE RACE FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET OF THE RULING ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS, APC, BECAUSE HE DID NOT SUBMIT HIS NOMINATION FORM, THER ARE INDICTAIONS HE MAY IS STILL BE IN THE RACE.

THER ARE SPECULATIONS HE SUBMITTED HIS EXPRESSION OF INTEREST AND NOMINATION FORMS TO THE PARTY. HOWEVER, PARTY LEADERS THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, PDP COULD NOT CONFIRM, IF THE HAS LEFT, THEIR PARTY FOR THE APC.

SOME LEADERS OF THE PDP, LED BY GOVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM OF BENUE STATE, EARLY IN THE WEEK, MET JONATHAN TO CONVINCE HIM TO REMAIN IN THE PDP AND ATTEND THE PARTY’S PRESIDENTIAL CONVENTION ON SATURDAY.

THE MOVE TO INCLUDE JONATHAN IN THE RACE, SOURCES SAY WAS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MUCH-POSTPONED SCREENING OF THE APC PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS AND A BID BY SOME POWERFUL NORTHERN POLITICAL LEADERS TO DRAFT JONATHAN INTO NIGERIA’S PRESIDENCY IN 2023 REPORTS SAY IS GAINING MOMENTUM, WITH THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE IDEA BY A CROSS-SECTION OF NORTHERN POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERS.

SOURCES AT THE PRESIDENCY SAY ALTHOUGH THE IDEA HAS BEEN PUSHED TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI BY HIS HENCHMEN, HE HAS NEITHER REJECTED NOR OPENLY ENDORSED IT.