The Deputy Governorship of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Bayelsa governorship election, has expressed disappointment at former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Daily Report Nigeria reports that MacIver disapproved of Jonathan’s open endorsement of Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the November 11 poll.
MacIver, who described Jonathan’s move as disheartening, queried the former President for raising security concerns that were not found in Bayelsa state.
The deputy governorship candidate also condemned Jonathan over his announcement that he would have sort to relocate out of Bayelsa if the APC had won the election.
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In a statement on Sunday, MacIver said Jonathan has lost the respect of the APC flag bearer, Timipre Sylva and Minister for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri for his comments.
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The statement reads;
“It is with a deep sense of concern that I, Great Joshua MacIver, Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State, address the endorsement of Governor Douye Diri by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“In a manner that departs from the expected statesmanship, I find it disheartening that Jonathan, in a state where his role should be fatherlike and non-partisan to all candidates, has chosen to endorse a specific individual, during a political season.
“Furthermore, I express my reservations regarding the former President’s statement about the planned relocation of his mother to Abuja had Governor Douye Diri lost the governorship election.
“This public speech, openly demarketing Bayelsa State as unsafe and insecure, is a sentiment that should not be voiced by someone of his stature.
“Sadly, Jonathan’s recent action has made him lose the respect of all true followers of the former Minister of State Petroleum Resources and APC Governorship Candidate in the last election, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva.”
Jonathan’s comments also drew the ire of Sylva, who described the statement as unfortunate.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s statement is unfortunate. I sincerely hope he was misquoted. Let me just quote our respected Wole Soyinka: “you can take the hippopotamus out of the swamp but you cannot take the swamp out of the hippopotamus,” the former minister wrote on social media.
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