The Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday said former President Goodluck Jonathan was absent at the just concluded National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party because he had prior engagements abroad. Eyes had been raised at Jonathan’s absence at the Convention amid speculations that he may soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress or that he was unhappy with developments within the PDP. But Jonathan, since leaving the Presidency in 2015, has undertaken several international appointments and regularly travels abroad. In July 2020, Jonathan was appointed Special Envoy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)