Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has accused ex-U.S. President Barack Obama of playing a key role in his defeat during the 2015 presidential election, claiming the American leader showed bias and undue interference in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The allegation is contained in Jonathan’s forthcoming memoir titled “My Transition Hours,” set to be officially launched on Tuesday.
In excerpts from the book obtained by Premium Times, Jonathan wrote that Obama’s video message to Nigerians on March 23, 2015 was a clear attempt to influence voters and sway the election outcome in favor of the opposition.
“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,” Jonathan stated.
He added:
“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.”
Jonathan described Obama’s tone as “condescending”, saying it suggested that Nigerians were incapable of making independent decisions without Western direction.
He also criticized Obama’s administration for restricting Nigerian security forces from dislodging Boko Haram insurgents before the elections, despite publicly calling for violence-free polls.
“The message was so condescending, it was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them,” he wrote.
In addition, Jonathan took aim at then U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, accusing him of indifference toward his administration’s security concerns and opposition to the election postponement, which he insisted was necessary to safeguard Nigerians in Boko Haram–occupied areas.
“How can the U.S. Secretary of State know what is more important for Nigeria than Nigeria’s own government?” Jonathan queried.
Jonathan lost the 2015 election to Muhammadu Buhari, marking Nigeria’s first democratic transition of power between an incumbent and opposition candidate.
He assumed office in 2010 after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, later winning his own mandate in 2011 before his historic electoral defeat in 2015.
