Former President Goodluck Jonathan has accused former United States President Barack Obama of playing a direct role in his defeat during Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election.
Jonathan made the claim in his book titled “My Transition Hours,” which is set to be launched on Tuesday.
He alleged that Obama showed an unusual level of interference and bias in the course of the 2015 polls.
According to the former president, “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.”
Giving further details, Jonathan said, “In that video, Obama urged Nigerians to open the ‘next chapter’ by their votes.
“Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government.”
According to Premium Times, which obtained a copy of the book ahead of its unveiling in Abuja, Jonathan had deliberately kept the publication under wraps to prevent excerpts from leaking before the official launch.
AFRIPOST reports that Jonathan lost the 2015 presidential election to the late Muhammadu Buhari, marking the first time in Nigeria’s history that an incumbent president was defeated at the polls.
He had earlier taken office in 2010 after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later secured a full four-year term in 2011.
“The message was so condescending, it was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them,” Jonathan wrote, while criticising the American leader’s address to Nigerian voters.
He also faulted Obama’s call for free and fair elections, accusing the U.S. administration of being reluctant to support Nigeria’s military operations to reclaim areas under Boko Haram’s control before the polls.
Jonathan further took a swipe at then U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, accusing him of showing indifference toward his government’s position, despite several attempts to explain that postponing the election was in Nigeria’s best interest.
“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?
“Not even the assurance of the sanctity of May 29, 2015 handover date could calm them down. In Nigeria, the Constitution is very clear: No President can extend his tenure by one day,” Jonathan said.