Former President Goodluck Jonathan has accused former U.S. President Barack Obama of playing a key role in his defeat during the 2015 presidential election, alleging that the American leader openly sided with the opposition.
Jonathan made the startling revelation in his soon-to-be-launched book, “My Transition Hours,” where he detailed what he described as “foreign interference” in Nigeria’s democratic process. The book, which is set to be officially unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja, sheds new light on behind-the-scenes international pressure that shaped the historic election.
According to Premium Times, which obtained an advance copy of the memoir, Jonathan claimed Obama displayed an “unusual level of bias” and “condescension” towards his administration in the buildup to the election.
“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 wrote.
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He said Obama’s message, which urged Nigerians to “open the next chapter” with their votes, was a subtle but clear signal for citizens to support the opposition party — a move Jonathan described as “overbearing” and “condescending.”
“Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government,” he said.
Jonathan also accused the Obama administration of hypocrisy, saying that while the U.S. president preached democracy and free elections, his government refused to support Nigeria’s military operations to reclaim territories held by Boko Haram insurgents ahead of the polls.
“The message was so condescending, it was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them,” Jonathan lamented.
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The former president further criticized then U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, for what he described as “nonchalance and undue interference.”
“How can the U.S. Secretary of State know what is more important for Nigeria than Nigeria’s own government? How could they have expected us to conduct elections when Boko Haram controlled part of the North East and were killing and maiming Nigerians?” he queried.
Jonathan said the U.S. opposition to his government’s decision to postpone the elections for security reasons was unjustified, despite assurances that he would hand over power on May 29, 2015, in accordance with the constitution.
He maintained that the decision to delay the polls was in Nigeria’s best interest, insisting no president could extend his tenure by even a day beyond the constitutional limit.
Jonathan lost the 2015 presidential election to the late Muhammadu Buhari, marking the first time an incumbent president would be defeated at the polls in Nigeria’s history.