Nigeria’s Jonathan says friends abandoned him after defeat
PDP Presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan
Outgoing Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said Sunday that some of his friends deserted him shortly after he conceded defeat to his rival General Muhammadu Buhari in the March election.
Jonathan publicly conceded defeat to Buhari on March 31, a decision which was commended by local and foreign commentators and doused tension in the country.
“Some hard decisions have their own costs. No doubt about that. It is a very costly decision but I must be very ready to pay for it,” Jonathan said during a farewell church service in Abuja.
Jonathan’s public admission of defeat in the nail-biting election came more than six hours after he rang Buhari to concede, earning him widespread praise for statesmanship.
“If you take certain decisions, you should know that people close to you will even abandon you at some point. I tell people that more of my so-called friends will disappear.”
Many party faithful and erstwhile loyalists of Jonathan have either crossed over to Buhari’s All Progressives Congress or made harsh statements against Jonathan’s party or its leaders.
Jonathan said he was not surprised by the desertions or statements by his former loyalists, adding that former South African president Frederik de Klerk faced a similar situation when he decided to abolish minority rule in that country.
Jonathan said that de Klerk’s marriage to his wife, Marike, broke down after he took that decision.
“But that is the only decision that made South Africa to still be a global player. If by this time w still have minority rule in South africa, nobody would have been talking about South Africa in the present generation,” he said.
He said that ministers who served under him should brace themselves for “persecution” following his loss and his decision to concede defeat.
Buhari, a former military leader, is scheduled to be sworn into office on May 29.
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23 Comments
GEJ you did the right thing. no need to shed innocent blood. you will be happier for taking this right decision
He did what he was supposed to do period.
SO IT IS NOW YOU KNOW. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY PLAIN TO YOU WHEN YOU AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION WERE INSTITUTIONALISING MASSIVE CORRUPTION AND MAKING IT A NORM AND ETHOS IN OUR POLITY. YOU HAVE MADE YOUR BED SO YOU MUST SLEEP ON IT.
Your hatred blinds you totally.
Since when did saying the truth become hatred?
IF YOU CAN NOT DO THE TIME DO NOT DO THE CRIME
…Hopefully mama peace would not do like Mrs. De Klerk…Need not worry, fair weather friends go with the season…real friends would never leave you!
Mama piece has been on hunger strike since the defeat. Hopefully she would lose some wait and more when bridal Jonathan leaves her to marry Allison.
Is GEJ indirectly telling us that mama p deserted him or his marriage to her is likely breakdown? Uncle GEJ talk am well o, make we know where na only you waka come. But you know say na so our people be na uncle Jona. Everybody loves a winner and losers are not celebrated.
Jona, you did not use your power for good, you need to man up and accept whatever comes your way, if you do the crime, you have to do the time! All this whining will not save you.
De Clerk marriage broke down not because he facilitated the death of minority rule but because of his own infidelity. He fell in love with his friend’s wife and both divorced their former partners and got married. De Clerk together with his former wife visited and spent some days with family friends and the visit ended with De Clerk falling in love with his his host’s wife.
Thanks! I didn’t know this bit!
The truth will always come out no matter how late.
Only foolish person will be surprised “Jonathan friends abandoned him after defeat,” but the world is a foolish place anyway (the world became foolish place after man was created). Nothing is new under the sun. “It is all meaningless” says the Preacher. Go down memory lane – Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ and Peter denied Jesus Christ. SLA had his run with the sage and many other betrayals. So, GEJ must take heart for he will not be the first or the last in this category. Life goes on and the beats get louder.
Jonathan people that support your decision are far more than the one against it.More people wish you well. 99percent of Nigerians won’t do what you did.God is with you.
What did he do that is so unsual, should he have denied the vedict of the people, the people spoke; Nigerians spoke and he had to listen. Here in the UK, I have not seen or heard people singing the praises of Ed Milliband or Nick Clegg for conceding defeat. Please grow up NIgerians, the world is changing and NIgeria has to change with it or perish with the idiots
story story, jona you should understand that all this cosmetics stories you are telling will neither make us forget all the mess you inflicted on us nor save you any big deal. you were clueless, corrupt , inexperience, incapable and hence Nigerians decided to send you packing. that is all, under your watch and your government, CAN was bastardized became political almost like a ministry under your govt, it was under your watch that CAN broke into pieces, impunity of highest order, before your govt, we do not know the word impunity, it is a strange to us, but your government made it a passion, Nigerian military was bastardized and humiliated, judiciary was bastardized, DSS was bastardized, police was bastardized and used unconstitutionally as in the case of Josephs nbu in rivers and in ekiti election and ekiti house of assembly scandal, democracy itself suffered in your hand when you regarded 16 as greater than 19 votes in the governors forum election, while you are beneficiary of the democracy. jona i am begging please do not be saying thing that will be further reminding us of your atrocities. for me what ever you say now will not change the mark of bad impression you have already left and i am sure that is the stand of majority of Nigerians. please do not waste your saliva, we (including international communities, which is very clear to you also) are tired of you please keep quit. we are busy counting down to see you off. for your information, you did not see anything yet, wait , when you are out of the power , then you will get to know the real consequences of what you sow. you had all opportunities to make your self, your Niger delta region, your tribe and in fact your children proud and great, but you wasted it badly beyond recognition. so leave us alone and go.
well said my friend, he should just take the money he has amassed with his cronies and keep quiet
This guy is very funny; preaching funny sermons. Friends deserving you; are this his billionaires economic team or those corrupt elites that mounted him to the throne in Abuja from his simple Yenogoa days?. Let him go and enjoy his undeclared assets and wait until government economic crimes and corruption bureaus comes calling.
My dear President Jonathan,you have other choice but to accept defeat honourably !!!!!!!!!!.The truth of the matter is that you lost the election you did not anticepated !!! chikina
Take Heart, such is life. “Fair-weather friends” abound everywhere and wives and husbands are included. They were not friends in the first place but “gold diggers”.
You have done the most honorable thing which no leader has ever done in Nigeria. Let them run away but you will be walking head-high for the rest of your life. Hopefully other leaders of Africa will trail behind you.
JONATHAN, BOWO BA DE WON A BA EJE, BOWO BA TAN WON A SALO, YOYO LENU ARAIYE. SUCH IS LIFE, THE BLOOD-SHED WILL ONLY HAPPEN IN SOUTH-SOUTH LIKE WHAT HAS HAPPENED DURING ELECTION, BUT NOT IN SOUTH-WEST, ANY LEADER CANNOT PUSH THE WESTERNERS AGAIN, WELL, DO NOT WORRY, I WILL BE YOUR FRIEND, THOUGH I DO NOT SHARE OUT OF THE GOODY-GOODY OF YOUR RECKLESS SPENDING AND CORRUPTION, STILL I WILL NOT ABANDON YOU, JUST WARN PATIENCE FAKA EBELE JONATHAN, TO ADJUST HER MOUTH. I WILL VISIT YOU AND BE YOUR COMFORTER.
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