As Nigerians and the international community continue to hail President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat to his main challenger, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in the March 28th presidential election, PREMIUM TIMES has received exclusive details of how the president took the decision of making the historic concession telephone call to Gen. Buhari.
Reliable officials, knowledgeable about the display that unfolded at the presidential villa that March 31st, said President. Jonathan was pulled by two (2) contending forces: loyalists who kept pressuring him to concede defeat and congratulate Gen. Buhari, and hawks who insisted he and his party should strongly challenge the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate’s victory.
Our sources said even before collation began at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, President Jonathan had indicated he would accept whatever is the final outcome once the election is considered free and fair.
But while the President was on the point of keeping that promise, some “hawks” in the presidency and the party rushed to the first family’s official residence to warn him against any “hasty decision”.
“They were telling the president that a lot of options were still open, and that the game was not over,” one of our sources said. “They were doing all everything to make the president triumph ultimately.”
“At a point Mr. President became confused and it was clear the forces opposed to the president’s decision to concede victory was gaining control. As some of them were talking to the president in the villa, others who were far away were on the phone with Mr. President. The president was in a dilemma.”
Another Presidential aide said while in that state of confusion, Mr. President invited the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, to ask for his opinion.
Those who overheard their conversations said Mr. Chidoka appealed to Mr. President to disregard any contrary counsel and quickly concede defeat.
“Mr. President, I can tell you that by congratulating Buhari, you would have done the unthinkable and history will surely be kind to you,” Mr. Chidoka said.
Our sources said as the President and Mr. Chidoka conversed, the Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, came in.
“He quickly joined Osita (the aviation minister) in begging the President to ignore those advising him not to concede defeat,” a witness said. “In fact, I saw Adoke and Osita kneeling before the president in deference and begging him to take the right decision in the interest of the country.”
Our sources said at this point, President. Jonathan appeared convinced. But more calls were still coming from people believed to be opposed to any concession move, and the president became confused again.
At that point, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, came in, and she quickly joined the party working to convince President. Jonathan to make the historic call.
While Mr. Adoke departed shortly after Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s arrival, the finance minister and her aviation counterpart continued to beg Mr. President to make the right decision.
At a point, the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, joined the party.
He reportedly knelt before the president, held his hand, and said, “You need to congratulate Gen. Buhari now sir. I think you should leave this place on May 29th holding your head high.”
Mr. Dudafa then offered to place a call to Gen. Buhari so Mr. President could speak with him, President Jonathan agreed.
So at about 5:15 p.m. that March 31st, President Jonathan spoke to Gen. Buhari, congratulating him for his victory in the presidential election.
At 5:27 p.m., Mr. Chidoka, while still at the presidential villa, tweeted, “President Jonathan congratulates Gen. Buhari in a phone call this evening.”
He further tweeted, “President Jonathan will address the nation after a meeting with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials.
“President Jonathan is a democrat by instinct; he has expanded the civic space and entrenched genuine democracy. A great future awaits him as sets a continental example on the essence of democracy.
“President Jonathan, by refusing to be an African Big Man, has indeed become an African role model. Soon when emotions subside, the story of President Jonathan’s stubborn commitment to democracy and peace will be told.”
When contacted Monday, Mr. Chidoka said he was not prepared to discuss what transpired at the President’s residence on the day of the historic concession call.
Mrs. Okonjo Iweala could not be reached for comments. Calls to her spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu, did not connect.
With presidential election results from all but one of Nigeria’s 36 states counted, and Gen. Buhari, clearly in unassailable lead, President Jonathan had telephoned the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate to concede defeat.
At the time the call was made, INEC was yet to declare Gen. Buhari winner because it was still expecting results from Nigeria’s remote Borno State.
By the time the Borno vote was added to the tally, Gen. Buhari garnered 15,416,221 votes to Mr. Jonathan’s 12,853, 162 votes.
The historic concession telephone call defused tension across Nigeria and has thrown up President Jonathan as a democracy hero.
That conversation is believed to have saved Nigeria from descending into violence in the aftermath of the election.
In a nationwide broadcast after INEC officially declared Gen. Buhari winner, President Jonathan told Nigerians he kept his pledge to deliver a credible election.
Source: #PremiumTime
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