Babangida Aliyu
A new vista has opened in the alleged conspiracy of the US in the electoral defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Jonathan has blamed former US President Barack Obama for his defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
He said Obama was desperate to have him removed, and he alleged that the former US president went as far as turning world leaders against him and sending warships into the Gulf of Guinea in the days preceding the election.
In an advance copy of ‘Against the Run of Play’, a book written by Segun Adeniyi, a renowned journalist, Babangida Aliyu, former Niger state governor and ex-chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, gave a hint of possible US involvement in the electoral trouncing of Jonathan.
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He said the Obama administration invited 12 northern governors to the US to ascertain their level of commitment to removing Jonathan.
Although, Aliyu said he had no proof of this, he expressed the belief that the reason for their invitation to the US was deeper than discussing the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
“I have no proof of course, but I think the idea was to ascertain what the disposition of the north would be to the idea of another term for President Jonathan,” he told Adeniyi.
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“That was my reading of the situation. I believe it was all about the 2015 election for which the Americans had resolved not to support Jonathan. They just wanted to size us up for the level of commitment to regime change.”
Aliyu said in one of the sessions, Murtala Nyako, former Adamawa state governor, accused Jonathan of sponsoring Boko Haram with the intent of destroying the north.
He added that Nyako’s accusation signalled to the Americans that the north was not in support Jonathan’s re-election bid.
He also said that if Jonathan had declined to re-contest and had allowed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to field a young candidate from the north, President Muhammadu Buhari would have pulled out of the race.
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“If Jonathan had been clever enough to say he would not run and had stuck with the PDP zoning formula by supporting a young northern candidate, I am most certain Buhari would have shelved his ambition to contest in 2015, knowing there was no way he would win,” he said.
The book, which details how Jonathan lost the 2015 election, will be launched on Friday.
Adeniyi, the author, is the editorial board chairman of THISDAY.
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6 comments
The US and the Northern conspiracy against GEJ regime have all boomerang. Today,the nation has a president that cannot provide the required leadership for the country to move forward. Our president is hiding in Aso Rock Villa. Conspiracy has a price…Nigeria and her people are paying the price.
ssshh The president is recuperating!
There’s always three sides to a great story. My side, your side and the truth. The truth is that side of the story that nothing can hide. Am waiting..
So it’s all about the north.
Your comment..
Life goes on after 2015 Election, whatever any one sow he shall reap, Oboma equally had his share on what he wished nigeria and Jonathan when his own wish to his country was defeated by Trump.and he got full dose. Inocent people were killed by bokoharam in nigeria even till date yet it wasnt an issue to address wholisticaly by selfish discord sower and stop rather just to see Jonathan removed was more important.
They have all gathed but God Is seriously scattering their plan.he rains
MY TAKE IS THAT THERE IS NOTHING A MAN DOES THAT IS HIDDEN BEFORE GOD.BUT WHAT HAS OBAMA GOT TO GAIN FROM US.NIGERIAN ARE NO LONGER SLAVE.WE ARE INDEPENDENT.WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO OUR THINGS OURSELVES.