Jega disappointed me, says Jonathan
Despite conceding the 2015 presidential election, former president Goodluck Jonathan was not comfortable with how it was handled by Attahiru Jega, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In an advance copy of ‘Against the Run of Play’, a book written by bestselling author Segun Adeniyi, and seen by TheCable, Jonathan said Jega disappointed him.
“I was disappointed by Jega because I still cannot understand what was propelling him to act the way he did in the weeks preceding the election,” the former president said.
“As at the first week in February 2015 when about 40 percent of Nigerians had not collected their PVCs, Jega said INEC was ready to conduct an election in which millions of people would be disenfranchised.”
Jonathan also said he had a meeting with Jega to express his reservations about the preparedness of INEC for the exercise, but he insisted that the election would go ahead.
“Of course, the Americans were encouraging him to go ahead yet they would never do such a thing in their own country. How could we have cynically disenfranchised about a third of our registered voters for no fault of theirs and still call that a credible election?”
“The interesting thing was that the opposition also supported the idea of going on with the election that was bound to end in confusion,” the former president said.
The election was scheduled for February 14, 2015, but the Jonathan government shifted it by six weeks. The action was greeted by strong criticism from Nigerians.
In the book, Jonathan also defended his decision to postpone the election, saying it was for security reasons.
“When the military and security chiefs demanded for more time to deal with the insurgency, the reasons were genuine,” he said.
“As at February 2015, it would have been very difficult to vote in Gombe, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. But moment all the arms and ammunition that had been ordered finally arrived, the military was able to use them to degrade the capacity of Boko Haram to the level in which they posed the threat to the election.”
The book, written by the chairman of THISDAY editorial board, recounts how an incumbent lost a presidential election in Nigeria.
It is due for launch on Friday.
Dear Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, why are you so naïve, or did you just refuse to see the truth. You lost the election, not because of Jega’s action, but for YOUR inaction, the clueless nature of managing your office and most importantly, because you did not do anything, anyone can actually pinpoint in your six year presidency. You have no road to your village, Niger Delta lack development that anyone can credit to you, you could not empower your people by building a refinery in Bayelsa, instead you joined the oil cartel o collect subsidies and now you pointing fingers at Jega. As a matter of fact, I personally thank God that you lost… I cannot imagine what would have happened to Nigeria with all these looting by your cronies if you had won. Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, the best thing for you is to hold your peace, so we can quickly forget your inept presidency.
He left Mr. Jega whose primary aim was to install a northern president even when he overstayed his usefulness. He is so naive
This man didn’t say anything about winning or losing an election. Always try to read articles well
Thanks very much for talking about this, Mr from BAYELSA.Have you in your right senses consider the term A Leader.Have you ever being charged to lead an ordinary school authority as a Head Boy.try and see the challenges in it?. When you are chosen to rule out light in the mist of whore Darkness.please don’t condemned others.it May reach your turn in office Today Or Tomorrow.to serve as a Leader.one More thing.what has this present govt.done about the corruption issue s they have at hand.after collection of all this dollars and naira?.
Agreed! You have said your mind about the past, but please what do you have to say about this present government, are we having it any better now or has looting stopped? Please say the truth be it GEJ or PMB so that you won’t be cursed
The current government must take these things into consideration so as to gurrantte a free and fair elections come 2019.
This article is saying the reality of what happened, but i wonder how some people understand issues.not even this present government can admit what goodluck admitted, because GEJ believe in freedom of speech, but try it under this government, you will be witch hunted,and arrested but DSS or EFCC,or police.
Many were denied access to pvc through lopsided distribution. Most especially the south and west. Again treat from the now rulling party.