General elections were held in Nigeria on 28 and 29 March 2015, the fifth quadrennial election to be held since the top of military rule out 1999.
The incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan sought his second and final term.
Opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari won the presidential election by quite 2.5 million votes. Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat on 31 March, before the results from all 36 states had been announced.
The election marked the primary time an incumbent president had lost re-election in Nigeria. The President-elect was sworn-in on 29 May 2015, marking the primary time since Nigeria gained independence in 1960 that a sittin
g government peacefully transferred power to an elected member of the opposition.
Jonathan said of the 2015 presidential election result: “I knew what was coming the day before I called General Muhammadu Buhari. I had reports on the polls round the country. it had been clear the results weren't getting to favour me. Apparently, there have been many instances of irregularities. there have been series of problems with card readers, resulting from widespread technical hitches resulting in the non-uniform application throughout the country.
“For some inexplicable reason, INEC had been ready to achieve near 100% distribution of Permanent Voter Cards within the North, including the North East, which was under siege with the Boko Haram insurgency but did not record an identical level of distribution within the South which was relatively more peaceful.
“Social media was crammed with all manner of stories, pictures and videos. i used to be settled in my mind that i used to be not getting to be the sitting President remarking these infractions and accusing the opposition and therefore the very INEC I helped to strengthen.
“The world saw my ordeal at the polling unit in my community in Bayelsa State, where the cardboard reader refused my PVC, even after we tried repeatedly during accreditation. And it had been an equivalent with my wife and my mother. it had been a flash that exposed the shortcomings of INEC.
“However, i used to be heading towards peace. Stopping the election on voting day would are like detonating an atom bomb . After we managed to vote upon filling the Incident Forms, I left Bayelsa for Abuja to watch the elections and collation of results everywhere the country from the 29th to 31st March, 2015.
“The country was tensed. I had to try to to something. I could not await the collation of the ultimate results. The pressure on the country was palpable. In Lagos, people were able to burst loose on the streets and within the North; the stage was set for envisaged violence. one among my party’s agents at the INEC National Collation Centre in Abuja, Elder Godsday Orubebe eventually got into a heated argument with the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. That further raised the strain within the country. Everyone was expecting the worst. I knew it had been time to douse the strain .
Why I conceded defeat
“I was fully informed about the manipulations, intrigues, intimidation and betrayals. the results of not conceding were only better imagined. My natural instinct for peace automatically surfaced. i used to be getting to make a choice which reflected my commitment thereto ideal. this is often the inspiration of my essence. In my periodic projections into the longer term , I didn't see how i might be presiding over any quite chaos. i used to be prepared to market the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.
“This may be a huge sacrifice, but I hope my readers believe me once I say it clothed to be one among the simplest decisions I ever took while in office. With my mind made up, I knew it had been time to inject peace into the tensed polity, especially before INEC completed collation.
“I was in my front room with some ministers, aides and friends. Among them were the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Honourable Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka and Waripamowei Dudafa, my Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs.
“They were recommending sundry alternatives, but i used to be quiet within the midst of their discussion. I hugged my thoughts, deciding the way to do this which was best for the country. My personal interest was receding rapidly and therefore the interest of Nigeria looming large. I excused myself and left the living room . I walked into my study. Even here, my mantra was a robust revolve around me, supporting and comforting me. Let the country survive. Let democracy survive. My political ambition isn't worth people being ‘soaked in blood’.
“More reports flowed in and that i couldn't wait anymore. The announcement of the ultimate result could take issues out of all our hands. it had been time on behalf of me to require action and convey peace to the state . I felt i used to be destined by God at that time in time to inject the peace serum and douse the palpable tension within the country.
“I reached for the phonephone and placed a call through the State House operators at about 4:45 pm. A peace I had never felt since my political sojourn, descended on me. It showed me where I had been within the past 16 years and where i used to be then. I smiled at the thought of what i used to be close to do. I waited calmly for the person at the opposite end of my call to answer.
Buhari: “Hello Your Excellency!”
Me: Your Excellency, how are you?”
Buhari: “I am alright, Your Excellency”
Me: “Congratulations!”
Buhari: “Thank you considerably Your Excellency …”
“For several seconds the road was seized by the loudest silence I even have ever known. Then we had a quick discussion. I could sense his relief too. He knew what could are . Here may be a man who had contested 3 times and lost. Maybe my gesture humbled him against his expectations because he thanked me and that we talked about the delivering processes.
“Everywhere everywhere Africa, Asia and other parts of the planet , countless deaths are recorded on the many elections and power disputes. i discussed Cote d’Ivoire earlier, where people died in their thousands during post-election violence. an identical scenario had unfolded in Kenya. African nations are more susceptible to post-election violence than other parts of the planet . Only only a few African nations haven't experienced post-election violence on a really grand scale or some bitter power tussle fed by tribal or ethnic sentiments.
“I hung up the phone, confident that my decision was right for Nigeria and would probably have an excellent impact on Africa. this might rather be the start of a replacement perspective to power; a perspective which places national interest above personal preference. It shouldn't always be about winning.
“After my conversation with Muhammadu Buhari, which lifted my spirit greatly, I felt better and lighter; it had been time to interrupt the news to my Ministers and aides. I wandered back to the front room . These are people I came to understand after a period of your time . I anticipated what their response would be.
“In my new found calm, I stood before them and told them what I had just done. The elections were over. I had called and congratulated Muhammadu Buhari on his victory. it had been time for all folks to maneuver on. Stunned silence greeted the space for a few time and after they overcame their shock, all of them congratulated me.
“My Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, sought my permission to tweet my phone conversation with Muhammadu Buhari. I obliged and he did. The country was not expecting the declaration of the election results. The nationwide tension automatically dissipated as if a hotdog piece of iron had been dipped during a bowl of water.’’
Extracted from MY TRANSITION HOUR by GJ.
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