Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described how he felt after losing the 2015 presidential election, saying it would feel like the entire world turned against you.
Jonathan, who ran on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform was denied a re-election by Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who received 15,424,921 votes compared to his opponent’s 12,853,162 votes.
The election was significant for two reasons: it marked the first instance in Nigeria’s history where an incumbent president failed to be re-elected, while it was also the first time the PDP would lose a presidential election since the return to democracy in 1999.
Jonathan recalls what it felt like to lose an election
Speaking at the inaugural Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture on Friday, October 25, 2024, Jonathan recalled how he felt after losing the election.
He said the period represented one of the most challenging moments of his political career.
He recalled that upon receiving the election results, he was overwhelmed by a wave of emotion, which felt like the entire world had turned against him.
The former President also acknowledged the supportive role played by the late Raymond Dokpesi, prior to his transition of power to Buhari.
He said the then Chairman of Daar Communications counselled him to look beyond the event and embrace the next possibilities.
“It is not easy to lose an election as a president. You will think the whole world is against you. But then, Dokpesi invited me before I handed over. I remember what he said to me when I lost the election.
“There were so many senior Nigerians (elder statesmen) who spoke. After I listened to all the conversations, he congratulated me and encouraged me to look beyond the election. This is how I commemorated that session.
“That communication gave me hope and helped me not necessarily for the transition hour ahead of me but also in my spiritual life as a private citizen. If you read my book, My Transition Hours, I explain it more elaborately,” he said.
