How Obama influenced my loss in 2015 – Jonathan reveals

How Obama influenced my loss in 2015 – Jonathan reveals

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has alleged that former U.S. President Barack Obama played a significant role in shaping the outcome of Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election, accusing the American leader of undue interference and bias.

In his forthcoming memoir, My Transition Hours, set to be unveiled on Tuesday, Jonathan claims that Obama’s public messaging ahead of the polls was “overbearing” and “condescending,” and amounted to a veiled endorsement of the opposition.

“On March 23, 2015, President Obama himself took the unusual step of releasing a video message directly to Nigerians all but telling them how to vote,” Jonathan writes. “In that video, Obama urged Nigerians to open the ‘next chapter’ by their votes. Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government.”

The former president, who lost the 2015 election to Muhammadu Buhari—marking the first time an incumbent president was defeated at the polls in Nigeria—said the U.S. leader’s message undermined Nigeria’s sovereignty and electoral independence.

Jonathan had assumed office in 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and secured a full term in 2011. The 2015 election was postponed by six weeks to March 28, a decision that drew criticism both locally and internationally. Jonathan defended the delay, citing security concerns due to Boko Haram’s occupation of parts of the North-East.

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He dismissed claims that the postponement was a ploy to extend his tenure, stating, “No President can extend his tenure by one day under the Nigerian Constitution.”

Jonathan also criticized former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, accusing him of disregarding the Nigerian government’s security concerns and failing to appreciate the rationale behind the election delay.

“How can the U.S. Secretary of State know what is more important for Nigeria than Nigeria’s own government?” he asked. “How could we have conducted elections when Boko Haram controlled parts of the North-East and were killing and maiming Nigerians?”

He further accused the Obama administration of pressuring Nigeria to proceed with the election while allegedly resisting efforts by Nigerian forces to reclaim territory from insurgents.

“The message was so condescending,” Jonathan said of Obama’s video. “It was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them.”

Despite the tensions, Jonathan emphasized that his administration remained committed to a peaceful transition of power, ultimately handing over to President Buhari on May 29, 2015.

The revelations in My Transition Hours are expected to spark renewed debate over foreign influence in African elections and the delicate balance between international diplomacy and national sovereignty.

How Obama influenced my loss in 2015 – Jonathan reveals