Nomadic pastoralists and the Almajari communities under the aegis of Miyetti Allah, yesterday, picked APC N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms for former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to contest ticket for the 2023 presidential election.
Led by the leader of the group, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, they had arrived the International Conference Centre around 6.35pm and presented the draft of the payment for the forms.
Speaking to newsmen after picking the forms, they boasted that with millions in vote banks, the return of the former president is a sure banker, describing him as the best person for the position.
“I represent two of the most vulnerable communities in our country. The nomadic pastoralists and the Almajari communities who have decided to purchase this form for our former president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to come back and rule this country and continue with the good work he has started.
“You may recall that during Goodluck Jonathan’s era he was the first president since independence of Nigeria who had found it expedient, who was magnanimous enough to remember the Almajari community; he brought a comprehensive policy of reformation and integration of the almajari into the mainstream educational system. It was the dream and vision of President Goodluck Jonathan that if that programme had continued it would one day produce from the Almajiri system of education doctors and 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 pastoralist.
“He set aside N60 billions in the coffer of the Central Bank of Nigeria which was to be used to develop livestocks in Nigeria. I believe that if government had continued with that programme, today, we would 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 a sense of belonging can rule this country and that leader is Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
(Sun)