By Abiola Olawale
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has opened up about the situation that led to his defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
This is as Jonathan claimed that he was betrayed by trusted allies. This comes as speculations continue to escalate about a potential candidacy in the 2027 presidential race.
Speaking at the 70th birthday anniversary of Chief Mike Oghiadomhe in Benin City, the Edo State capital, Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, said he lost his re-election bid to late Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to the alleged actions of close political associates who, according to him, undermined his campaign
He said many Nigerian politicians were not dependable. According to Jonathan, Oghiadomhe, who served as his Chief of Staff between 2010 and 2014, was one of the few friends who didn’t betray him.
He said: “Politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals. I have witnessed a lot of betrayal during the 2015 election.
“You’ll find it difficult to see somebody who will say the same thing in the morning and say the same thing in the afternoon and in the evening.
“They will tell you something this minute and the next one hour, they’ll say another. For the next hour, they’ll say another thing. But, I am quite pleased to associate with Oghiadomhe.
“For me, he is somebody that you can take his words to the bank. Most politicians, you cannot take their words to the bank.”
The New Diplomat reports that this comes as rumors about the former president’s potential candidacy in the 2027 presidential election continue to gain traction.
The New Diplomat checks within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) indicate that party leaders have been actively wooing the former president, as they see him as a unifying figure who could challenge President Bola Tinubu.
Recall also that Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola Robert, recently dismissed reports claiming the former president had ruled out a 2027 run.
In a statement on his verified Facebook page, Robert called such claims “fake news,” clarifying that Jonathan has neither confirmed nor denied his intentions.
