Propaganda may help you win election, not govern it, Jonathan tells APC

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has taken a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying even if a party wins through propaganda, it cannot govern with it.

Speaking when he received leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, on Friday, Jonathan said the APC had failed to fulfil its promise to Nigerians.

He also charged the PDP to work towards ending the reign of the APC in 2019.

“I believe that PDP will return to power in 2019 if we continue to build confidence especially as the ruling party has failed to meet up their promises and give hope to the people,” he said.

“Propaganda may help you win elections but can’t help you govern and that is what APC has seen in the last 32 months.”

He also expressed support for the amendment of the sequence of 2019 elections.

On Wednesday, the senate adopted the amended timetable for the elections after the House of Representatives changed the order.

This created a rancour, with some APC senator saying President Muhammadu Buhari might be the target.

But Jonathan advised the APC to see it as a “patriotic act”.

“Holding presidential election first will affect the quality of persons that will emerge in other polls because of the bandwagon effect,” Jonathan said.

“The ruling party the APC should see it from national and patriotic interests since laws are not meant for persons in power at a particular time.”

Earlier, Uche Secondus, chairman of the PDP, told Jonathan that the leadership of the party is working to rebrand with the aim of regaining power in 2019.