The former governor of Ondo, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, dismissed on Monday a media report claiming that he was appointed to lead the presidential consultation team of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the southwest.
The report, published by a National Journal (No Nigerian Tribune) claimed that Mimiko was chosen to direct the consultations before Jonathan’s possible political return.
The report also stated that the former governor of the State of OSun and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, recommended Mimiko for the role.
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Although former President Jonathan has not yet declared interest in the 2027 presidential race, speculation has intensified that he can seek a return to Aso Rock.
According to the reports, the former president, who lost his commitment to re -election to the late Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, is dedicated to quiet consultations about the possibility.
However, in a statement issued on Monday through its spokesman, Mr. Eniola Akinsola, Mimiko described the report as “falsehood” and “an invested rumor invested news dress.”
“The falsehood in the report is obvious from the first moment. It is only the work of a journalist who flies with an invented rumor dressed as news,” said the statement.
“The Mimiko that I know respects former President Jonathan, but has not been contacted or appointed for a campaign that is still the issue, and may well end up as a topic, of fantasy speculations. I am sure he is not looking for work either,” he added.
Akinsola also pointed out that as the policy is heated, more “cooked stories” would probably arise, especially about prominent figures such as Mimiko, which has chosen staying out of the center of attention for now.
Last week, the former Minister of Information and Unconditional of the Democratic Party of the Peoples (PDP), Prof. Jerry Win, said Jonathan would play the presidential elections of 2027.
Speaking with journalists after a PDP Congress in Minna, the state of Niger, Gan said that the Nigerians had experienced two other leaders from Jonathan and now yearned for their return.
“I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will play the presidential elections in 2027 as a PDP candidate, and we should be prepared to vote to return as president again,” said Win.
But in a rapid reaction, Presidential Assistant Mr. Bayo Onanuga dismissed the claim of win as “an absurd.”
“However, we must warn former President Jonathan to be careful with the animators covered with PDP sugar.
“The politicians of the Ilk of Jerry wins simply want to attract him to the career to satisfy their personal, political, religious and ethnic interests. They will abandon him in the middle of the current, as they did in 2015, and leave the gentleman Jonathan in the also,” said Onanuga..
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