Monday 19 December 2016

Former President Jonathan explains why he accepted defeat at the poll

Goodluck Jonathan

Nigerian ex-president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan finally open up on his decision to concede defeat in the 2015 presidential election that brought Buhari into power unexpectedly.

According to Jonathan, nobody from anywhere within or outside the country pleaded with him to accept the election result as was announced by INEC.

Recall that prior to the election, Jonathan had stated emphatically that his political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, unlike President Buhari whose failure in previous elections instigated ethnic and religious killings in the Northern Nigeria, including innocent corp members who were deployed to serve their country. He said, it was mainly on his personal principle an respect for human lives that informed his decision.

He said this at Bingham University in Nasarawa State, where he and another former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees.

He said: “It is my belief that no one’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. And I am fulfilled knowing that my conceding while the votes were still being compiled, which was born out of my personal principles and convictions, is generating positive impact in other nations. Let me make it clear, that I was not persuaded to do so by anyone within or outside the country. I know it was the right thing to do.


“My mantra ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian’ is my vow. It was not just a political slogan. One of the reason I convened the 2014 National Conference was to come up with a polity devoid of tension and crisis. A polity that will bring unity to this country. A polity that will not divide us along tribal, ethnic or religious lines.”

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