It was learned that Jonathan may have caved in to pressure from certain high-rankingg members of the ruling party and close supporters of the president to join the APC and run for the party’s presidential ticket.

Groups and individuals have also put pressure on the former president to run in the presidential election in 2023.

Men, women, and youths thronged the former Nigerian leader’s Abuja headquarters Friday morning, demanding that he declare his intention to run for president in 2023.

Jonathan who was holding a meeting with his committee of friends who visited him at his Foundation office at Taraba Crescent, Maitama, at the time the supporters stormed the place in protest did not categorically tell them that he would declare for the presidency.

Instead, he covertly asked the supporters to watch out, saying the political process was still in progress.

“I cannot declare because some processes are still ongoing. Yes, you are calling on me to come and declare for the next election. I cannot tell you I’m declaring. The political process is ongoing; just watch out. The key role you must play is that Nigeria must get somebody that will carry young people along,” Jonathan stated while addressing the supporters in front of the gate to his office.

A reliable source close to the former president disclosed to the Leadership correspondent yesterday evening that arrangement has been concluded for the former president to defect to the APC and join other aspirants jostling for the presidential ticket ahead of the party’s presidential primary billed to hold on May 30 and 31, 2022.

Confirming the development, one of the sources who did not want his name in print, said, “It is not all about former President Jonathan. The forces that be in APC are the ones asking him to run for the presidency under the party’s platform. I think he is just waiting for the process to be finalized before declaring officially.

“We all know that the former president cannot take such a decision at this dying moment to throw his hat in the ring of a party he would be dealing with as a new entrant and expect to get the ticket of the highest office in the country.”

However, a top source in the APC told Saturday PUNCH that the former President was seeking an assurance that he would be handed the party’s Presidential ticket.

The APC chieftain, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Jonathan has already been President before. So, the APC cannot offer him anything except the Presidential ticket. Imagine him contesting against Osinbajo and Tinubu and losing? Wouldn’t that be disgraceful?

“So, he has made his position clear. If he is to come to the APC, he must be given the assurance that he will be given the party’s ticket. That is his demand.”

The source added that the former President may be sold as a “compromise candidate” amid the raging zoning debate in the country.

“Jonathan is the only Nigerian alive that can promise to serve only one Presidential term and abide by it because he is limited by the constitution. If he serves one term, then power returns to the North. It is also not an easy decision but I can assure you that President Buhari will have no qualms with a Jonathan Presidency,” he added.

It was also learned that the APC is planning to grant the former president waiver as a new entrant to participate in the party’s presidential primary.

The NWC of the APC, in exercising the power of NEC in accordance with the party’s constitution may grant and approve a waiver as soon as it is requested by the ward executive for the former president to participate in all activities of the APC such as voting and be voted for in any of the intraparty elections ahead of the 2023 polls.”

Meanwhile, the supporters holding placards with inscriptions such as “run Jonathan run”, “Jonathan you are a good man”, “Jonathan, you’re the only voice of the masses we know”, and “Jonathan you must run”, “run Goodluck run”, “declare now, Goodluck”, “you must run”, “you are wasting our time, declare now”, among others contended that the former president remains their only hope for a better future.

The Coalition of Northern Youths and other youth and women groups from across the federation was part of the visit.

They took over the entire Taraba Street and other adjoining streets, up to the Farmer’s Market in Maitama, chanting songs in praise of Jonathan.

After about 2 hours, the former president who came out of his office to address them said he was still in the process of consulting and would soon make his decision to either contest or not public.

Jonathan urged his supporters to continue to pray for peace and unity in the country and that God should provide the right candidate to lead the country.

He noted that the visit, especially by the youths, was an indication that they were interested in the country’s political affairs, just as he implored them to be key players in the country’s politics to enthrone good governance.

Jonathan said, “As youths, we must get involved in the country’s political process, and luckily the law of `Not too Young to Run’ bill has made it clear that youths can contest almost every position in government. We will continue to encourage youths to get involved in the country’s political process.

“And as long as many youths get involved in the political process, we will be able to get the government we want”.

He noted that even though some of the country’s present challenges date back to the past administration, they can be confronted frontally from a united front.

“But the key role you must play is to pray that Nigeria gets a president that will carry the young people along and work very hard to see that some of the country’s problems raised are dealt with. I believe that collectively, we can work together,’’ he said.

Earlier, the leader of the Youth Compatriots of Nigeria, Mayor Samuel, told journalists that they were ready to support Jonathan to ensure that he returns to Aso Rock as the country’s next president in 2023.

Condemning the growing insecurity in the country and the dwindling economy, Samuel said there is a need to address the situation.

Samuel, also said, “We were deceived and brainwashed by those who claimed they could do it in 2015.

“Now, we know better, under Jonathan the minimum wage could buy one or two bags of rice. What do we have today? We are begging President Jonathan to forgive us, we have realized our mistakes; we want him back to complete what he started.”

“The prices of food items have gone up, during Jonathan’s administration, we were buying a bag of rice for N7,000, today it is N35,000; we need Jonathan back to help return to the good old days because we are tired of the excuses,’’ he stated.

He stated that the Nigeria Peoples Party was ready to give Jonathan its presidential ticket to contest the 2023 presidential election, adding that though the party is not registered yet, it belongs to the downtrodden.

Noting that any party that gives its presidential ticket to Jonathan would get the support of all Nigerians, he said, “The secret to good governance is what Nigeria requires at the moment, Jonathan has been tested and proven and we are ready to follow him.”

Also, one of the youth leaders, Jonathan Akumobi, said they were in Maitama to compel Jonathan to run because they believe in his capabilities, considering his past experience.

Akumobi said that a lot of challenges being experienced in all sectors require an experienced hand like Jonathan to tackle.

“We are tired of the killings, of the insecurity, our schools are closed because of the strike, the national grid has been collapsing; everything in Nigeria is challenged.