2015 elections: How Jonathan conceded defeat

FACTS have emerged on how former president and Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2015 presidential election, Dr Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat to the incumbent president and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari.

The startling revelations and the individuals that encouraged Dr Jonathan to pick his phone and congratulate the APC candidate despite the irregularities that marred the election were contained in a book,

“Against the Run of Play”, written by the Chairman, Editorial Board of ThisDay newspapers, Olusegun Adeniyi. In the book, Adeniyi listed the trio of former   Attorney General and Justice Minister, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke, (SAN); Aviation Minister, Mr Osita Chidoka and Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Mr Warpamo –Owei Dudafa, as the personalities that encouraged the former president to concede defeat, despite pressures from certain chieftains of the erstwhile ruling party on him not to let go.

“The drama unfolding at The Villa on 31st March 2015, four days after the presidential election, would have profound implications for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the nation he led. Kneeling in front of Jonathan were his Attorney General and Justice Minister, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke, (SAN); Aviation Minister, Mr Osita Chidoka and Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Mr Warpamo–Owei Dudafa.

“The mission of the three officials was to persuade Jonathan to call to congratulate his opponent, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), even as the final results were still being collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC). Seated a few meters away in the room were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Akwa-Ibom Governor, Mr Godswill Akpabio; Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission. Mr John Kennedy Opara and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

“Chidoka had co-opted Adoke and Dudafa to make the plea after a conversation he had with Jonathan the previous day. The President had acknowledged that the results were going against him and that he was going to concede. This was at a period when Nigerians were unsure of who would win, with many politicians within the then ruling PDP still betting on Jonathan. He had already asked Chidoka and a few others, including his spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati to give him a draft concession speech.”

Adeniyi further revealed that there were convincing and overwhelming evidence to dissuade the PDP presidential candidate to join league with forces, asking him not to accept defeat, but he decided to pull

“Nigerian back from the precipice, saving the country from what could have been a serious crisis, the ending of which nobody could have foretold.

“For Jonathan, coming to terms with defeat was culmination of what began four days earlier when he arrived at a polling unit in his hometown of Otuoke, Bayelsa State with his wife, Dame Patience for accreditation to vote under the full glare of the media. The country watched on live television as one card reader after another failed to read the president’s biometrics. After four tries and close to about 20 minutes, Jonathan and his wife had to be accredited manually.

“Despite his earlier misgivings about the use of card reader for the election, which was also opposed by his party, Jonathan resisted the temptation to chip at the credibility of the exercise by graciously reaffirming his confidence in the process. “President Jonathan is just one person,” he told reporters.

“So, if we have problem with one person as far as the election is going on well nationally, I am not worried that there might be a delay. My interest is that we conduct a credible election.”

“It was the first defining moment of the election. A disgruntled reaction could have easily set the wheels of political discord in motion and truncated the peace that had characterized the exercise up until that point.

‘’However by Monday, 30th March, the atmosphere around Jonathan had been soured by reports suggesting the election may not have been free and fair as he initially thought, especially in some of the northern states. With photographic evidence, Jonathan was shown how underage people were allowed to vote at some polling units in Kano and Bauchi states. ‘’This inflamed those within the government who were urging Jonathan not to concede, even as it became increasingly clear that he had lost.

“The general feeling within the Villa, a view fervently shared by Jonathan was that the INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, was part of a “northern conspiracy” against him. With that Jonathan decided to keep all options open. This emboldened some of his supporters who were desperate enough to want to disrupt the election.’’

The book also put a lie to misconception in certain quarters that the former president was privy to the plot to disrupt the announcement of results with former Niger Delta Minister, Elder Godsday Orubebe as principal leader of gang behind the macabre plot.

“There were many around Jonathan who did not share his sense of magnanimity. Tuesday, 31st March was therefore a dramatic day with the abortive attempt by the Niger Delta Minister, and ally of the president Godsday Orubebe, to disrupt proceedings at the INEC collation centre, a spectacle that unfolded on live television.

Although he would later apologize for his misadventure, Orubebe’s histrionics were part of a grand plot to disrupt the election, a plot that failed essentially because other parties involved refused to play to the script.”

“Meanwhile, at the Villa, the drama was also being watched on television. While the outcome must have deflated the hawks around Jonathan who were still looking for a way out of the looming defeat it worked in favour of those who wanted him to concede before the final tally of the results. With Orubebe antics dealt with by Jega, INEC continued to process the results from the remaining states.”

The book dramatizes the sustained plea by the trio of Chidoka, Adoke and Dudafa for the former president to congratulate General Buhari and it ultimately paid off.

Chidoka pleaded, “Why don’t you take the wind off Jega? By calling Buhari, you would have rendered whatever INEC is doing redundant.”

“This school of thought won the day. At one point, Dudafa stood up and said to Jonathan”, Daddy, anybody can say whatever they like but we are leaving this house on May 29. You have done your best for Nigeria and the people will appreciate your sacrifices.

“Shortly thereafter, Jonathan got up from his seat and went into his study where he picked up the phone and asked ‘Control’ to get Buhari on the line. He spoke briefly with Buhari in a rather nervous tone and then came out to announce to those in the room that he had conceded and congratulate the APC candidate on his victory.”

The former president, despite the anger by his loyalists who felt betrayed that they were left in the cold in his heroic action to congratulate the candidate of the erstwhile main opposition party rationalized his action.

“Despite his misgivings, by the time it became evident that he had lost, Jonathan was left counting the cost.

“In 2011 when Buhari did not campaign anywhere and could not have won the election, there was spontaneous violent reaction that led to death of several innocent people, including youth corps members, “Jonathan reflected. I asked myself what would happen in a situation in which there was already internal and international conspiracy in his favour? I could not bear the thought of anybody dying, so I told myself I had only one option and that was to concede.”