Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that betrayal by people within his own political circle was a major reason for his loss in the 2015 presidential election.
Jonathan was speaking on Thursday at the 70th birthday ceremony of Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State who also served as his Chief of Staff.
The former President, who famously conceded defeat to Muhammadu Buhari before the final results were announced, described loyalty as a rare quality in Nigerian politics. He held up Ogiadomhe as a shining example of a truly loyal ally.
“I became President, then post-Presidency, one of the few friends who would give up their necks for me is Mike. You know politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals,” Jonathan said.
He added, “You find it difficult to see somebody who will say the same thing in the morning and in the evening. I’ve witnessed a lot of betrayals, especially in my 2015 elections, and Mike is somebody who would take a bullet on my behalf.
He is somebody that you can take his word to the bank, but most other politicians, you cannot take their words to the bank. They will tell you something, the next hour they are saying another.”
The event was attended by many important figures from Edo State and beyond. These included former governors Lucky Igbinedion, Adams Oshiomhole, and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State. The current Deputy Governor of Edo, Dennis Idahosa, was also present.
Oshiomhole, a former political opponent, agreed with Jonathan’s description of Ogiadomhe’s character. He said that whenever he discussed politics with the celebrant, Ogiadomhe always told him that “wherever Jonathan is, is where he would be.”
Goodluck Jonathan was the incumbent President and candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 election. He was running for a second elected term, having first assumed office in 2010 following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua, whom he had served as Vice President.
He was defeated by Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The APC was a newly formed coalition of major opposition parties, including Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Bola Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and others.
Buhari’s victory marked a historic moment in Nigeria, as it was the first time an incumbent president had lost a general election. The campaign was dominated by issues of national security, particularly the government’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, and widespread accusations of corruption within the PDP administration.
Jonathan’s decision to call Buhari and concede defeat before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had finished announcing the official results is widely praised as a pivotal act that prevented potential post-election violence.
He has often said he took that step to “avoid bloodshed” in the country. However, his comments at the birthday event suggest that behind the peaceful concession was a feeling of being let down by those he trusted most.
Discussion about this post