Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disclosed that he experienced betrayal from political allies during his 2015 re-election bid, which ended in defeat.
Jonathan, who spoke on Thursday at the 70th birthday celebration of Chief Mike Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe in Benin City, Edo State, said Nigerian politics is characterised by lack of loyalty.
“In politics, especially in Nigeria, betrayal is common. I witnessed a lot of it during the 2015 election,” Jonathan said, while describing Oghiadomhe, his former Chief of Staff, as one of the few trustworthy figures in the political space.
He praised the celebrant as a dependable ally “who would take a bullet” for him.
Jonathan, who lost to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 presidential election, became the first incumbent president in Nigeria’s history to be defeated at the polls. Buhari secured about 15.4 million votes to Jonathan’s 12.8 million, amid growing public discontent over insecurity, corruption, and the economy.
Despite his loss, Jonathan’s decision to concede even before the final results were officially declared earned him global praise as a statesman who helped ensure a peaceful transfer of power.
Thursday’s event was attended by several dignitaries, including Senator Adams Oshiomhole, former Governors Lucky Igbinedion, Oserheimen Osunbor, and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Chief Tom Ikimi, and Prof. Izia Ize-Iyamu, Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
