Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has opened up about the emotional challenges he faced after becoming the first incumbent president in the country’s history to lose a re-election bid.
Jonathan, who ran under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lost to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2015 general elections.
He described the period as the toughest in his political career.
Jonathan made these remarks in Abuja on Friday at the 1st Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture, an event organized by Daar Communications in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Recalling the election, Jonathan shared how he garnered 12,853,162 votes, placing second behind Buhari, who won the election with 15,424,921 votes.
The former president spoke about the emotional turmoil he experienced during that time, feeling abandoned and as though the world was against him.
“It is not easy to lose an election as a president. You will think the whole world is against you,” Jonathan revealed.
However, Jonathan recalled the supportive role played by the late Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, the chairman of DAAR Communications.
Dokpesi, he said, stood by him during his most difficult moments and offered vital words of encouragement.
“Dokpesi invited me before I handed over. I remember what he said to me when I lost the election,” Jonathan continued.
“He congratulated me and encouraged me to look beyond the election. That communication gave me hope, not just for the transition ahead of me, but also in my spiritual life as a private citizen.”
Jonathan further reflected on these moments in his book, “My Transition Hours”, where he elaborates on how this period shaped his post-presidency life.
