New book on 2015 polls full of distortions —Jonathan

LIKE Kofi Awonoor’s chameleon feaces, the dust raised about how the 2015 presidential election was won and lost by the candidates of the two main parties in the contest held more than two years ago has refused to go away.

Contents of Against the Run of Play, a new book authored by a former presidential spokesperson, Segun Adeniyi, had sparked a fresh debate about claims which impeach the integrity of the election.

Adeniyi chronicled how Jonathan, then a sitting president, was trounced by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari in a historic victory.

The immediate past president was quoted to have expressed disappointment over how he was betrayed by the then chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, just he also said local and international conspiracies cost him victory in the election.

Jonathan, who is one of those whose interviews were published in the book, described the book as full of many distortions.

Jonathan said at the appropriate time, he and other principal actors in the election would soon go public with revelations of what actually transpired during the election.

Jonathan, who made the disclosure on his Facebook account and Twitter handle, punctured the in the accounts of many of the respondents in the book.

“I have just read Segun Adeniyi’s new book, ‘Against the Run of Play,’ which has so far enjoyed tremendous reviews in the media. My take on it is that the book, as presented, contains many distorted claims on the 2015 presidential election by many of the respondents.

“There will obviously be more books like that on this subject by concerned Nigerians. However, I believe that at the right time, the main characters in the elections, including myself, will come out with a true account of what transpired either in major interviews or books.”

He blamed former United States president, Barack Obama, ex-British Prime Minister, David Cameron and French president, Francois Hollande for aiding Muhammadu Buhari’s victory.

The former president had also noted that he was disappointed by the conduct of the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, noting that he had to concede defeat in order to avert bloodshed.

Meanwhile, the British Government has denied manipulating the 2015 electoral process in favour of Muhammadu Buhari.

Britain made this known while refuting Jonathan’s allegations that Britain under David Cameron was part of the international conspiracies that brought Buhari to power.

The British government, in a statement issued by its High Commission in Nigeria and signed by the Press and Public Affairs Officer, Mr Joe Abuku, said the election was entirely a Nigerian affair in which they played no partial part.

It said, “Prior to the 2015 elections in Nigeria, the UK engaged with Nigerian political parties and their leaders to urge them to run a fair, non-violent campaign and allow Nigerian voters to decide who their future political leadership would be.

“We congratulated President Jonathan on having handed over power peacefully in 2015, having lost the presidential election.

“The elections were a credit to the Nigerian people and a truly historic moment for Nigerian democracy. This process further strengthened Nigeria’s democratic tradition.

“The UK welcomes the assessment of independent observers, including the EU, that Nigeria’s elections were largely peaceful and conducted in accordance with recognised international democratic norms, and that there was no evidence,” the statement said.