Former President Jonathan
More revelations have emerged on the alleged role played by the United States of America in ensuring the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections. In an advance copy of ‘Against the Run of Play’, a book written by Segun Adeniyi, former Niger state governor and ex-chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Babangida Aliyu gave an account of possible US meddling in the electoral defeat of Jonathan.
Although he had no proof of this, he said, but the former governor expressed the belief that the reason for their invitation to the US was deeper than discussing the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
“I have no proof of course, but I think the idea was to ascertain what the disposition of the north would be to the idea of another term for President Jonathan.
Aliyu recalled how in one of the sessions, Murtala Nyako, former Adamawa state governor, accused Jonathan of sponsoring Boko Haram with the intent of destroying the north.
According to him Nyako’s accusation showed the Americans that the north was not in support Jonathan’s re-election bid.
“If Jonathan had been clever enough to say he would not run and had stuck with the PDP zoning formula by supporting a young northern candidate, I am most certain Buhari would have shelved his ambition to contest in 2015, knowing there was no way he would win,” he said.
Jonathan had also in the same book accused former US American President Barack Obama of having worked towards his electoral defeat.
He said, “President Barack Obama and his officials made it very clear to me by their actions that they wanted a change of government in Nigeria and we’re ready to do anything to achieve that purpose. They even brought some naval ships into the Gulf of Guinea in the days preceding the election.”
The US on Wednesday however denied the allegation, saying Jonathan lost the election because Nigerians wanted him out.
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