2 Main political benefits Jonathan will enjoy if Buhari finally backs him for president as alleged

There are feelers that President Muhammadu Buhari may back the reported presidential ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Although, it is yet to be confirmed by the Buhari himself who is currently playing aloof on the issue of who he wishes to back for the post. However, if he finally backs Jonathan as feelers have it, there are some major political benefits it will bring to Jonathan if he (Jonathan) eventually joins the 2023 presidential race.

(1). He may get more support that can help him win the APC ticket. There are reports that Jonathan may be planning to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, with a view to getting the party’s presidential ticket. The party said that it would accept him and allow to also vie for the presidential ticket with other aspirants. The recent development is that Buhari and some influential Northern APC Governors are said to be allegedly planning to back Jonathan for President so that he would rule one term and power would return back to the North. If Buhari finally backs Jonathan for President as alleged, this can make it easier for him to get the APC presidential ticket as many other loyalists of Buhari in APC will follow the lead of the President by backing Jonathan too.

(2). Buhari’s backing will help Jonathan to get good support from the North. There is no doubt that Buhari wields great influence in the North. His popularity has been arguably said to be equaled by no other politician in this recent time. Although, he contested for President three times which he did not win. But, even as a less powerful political figure then, Buhari still polled good number of votes in the North. Finally, he won the post of President in 2015 with the majority of his votes coming from the North.

The kind of supporters Buhari has in the North are so committed that they would support whoever he backs. That is part of the reasons many politicians seek Buhari’s endorsement and want him to just raise their hands to make that endorsement public. They know that it means a lot and they would get massive votes from Buhari’s supporters especially from the Northern States. If he backs Jonathan for President, the former President will enjoy more support from the North. After all, the kind of massive votes from the North have always been very instrumental in determining who wins the presidential election over the years. That is why aspirants do not joke about seeking the support of the North