TODAY IN HISTORY: 10 years ago, Jonathan called Buhari to concede election defeat

On March 31, 2015, precisely a decade ago, a brief telephone conversation altered Nigeria’s political landscape and reinforced its democratic values. The days leading to the 2015 general election were intense, with political permutations, strong rhetoric, predictions, doomsday prophesies, and pockets of unrest. Most political observers believed the election would either balkanise or strengthen the country, depending on the outcome. The international community had its eyes fixed on Nigeria. Everyone waited with bated breath. 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had ruled the country since the return of democracy in 1999, and the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), which had come out stronger through a merger, had gathered momentum through its “change” mantra. The APC went into the election with Muhammadu Buhari as its running mate to challenge the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, of the PDP.

The atmosphere was charged. However, Nigerians went to the polls on March 28 and voted. Sooner, the results started trickling in.

The majority of the results from the presidential election had been announced, with Buhari leading by nearly three million votes. In a gesture that surprised many, while the final results had not been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Jonathan called Buhari, his rival, to congratulate him.

JONATHAN: NOBODY’S AMBITION IS WORTH THE BLOOD OF ANY NIGERIAN

Jonathan’s simple words, “Congratulations, your excellency”, ushered in a historic moment.

This historic moment was not just about the transfer of political authority; the call marked the first time in Nigeria’s history that a sitting president had willingly and publicly acknowledged electoral defeat by reaching out directly to his opponent, ending 16 years of one-party dominance by the PDP.

Guided by his stance that his ambition is not worth the life of any Nigerian, Jonathan made the call against advice from his circle, many of whom wanted him to contest the results.

“By the time they were announcing Borno state, it was already clear that President Buhari as he later became, was leading with about 3 million votes. It was at that point that the drama began in the villa,” Reuben Abati, Jonathan’s spokesperson, told the BBC.

Abati said the security agencies had warned about the potential of a breakdown of order in the country.

“The people from the Nigerian Delta were saying the president should stand firm. Some other people, mainly the minister and the attorney general of the federation, Mohammed Adoke, were saying, ‘look, the president should apply wisdom,’ and at the end of the day, the president reiterated the position he has always held that nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian because there was palpable threat of violence,” he said.

“…then he placed a call to the control room, and he said, ‘Please get me President Buhari on the line.'”

Abati said the call almost did not happen over connection issues.

Buhari polled a total of 15,424,921 votes while Jonathan secured 12,853,162 votes.

A month later, when he met with some new ambassadors, Jonathan said he took the decision because “as for me, as a matter of principle, it is always the nation first”.

“You need to have a nation before you can have an ambition. It should always be the nation first. You don’t have to scuttle national progress for personal ambition,” Jonathan said.

“Since I assumed duty, I have been involved in quelling political crisis in some African countries, and I know what they passed through and what some are still going through. If you scuttle a system for personal ambition, it becomes a collective tragedy.”

BUHARI: JONATHAN’S PHONE CALL LEFT ME DUMBFOUNDED

In May 2016, Buhari told journalists that he was shocked that Jonathan would give up the presidential seat so easily, given his political trajectory.

“Of course, there was dead silence on my end because I did not expect it. I was shocked,” Buhari said.

“I did not expect it because after 16 years, the man was a deputy governor, governor, vice-president and was president for six years.

“For him to have conceded defeat even before the result was announced by INEC, I think it was quite generous and gracious of him.”

The phone call is reproduced below.

Buhari: Hello, Your Excellency

Jonathan: Your Excellency, how are you?

Buhari: I’m all right.

Jonathan: Congratulations.

Buhari: Thank you very much, your Excellency.

Jonathan: Yeah. So, how are things?

Buhari: Well, I’d congratulate you more because you….

Jonathan: …some of these days to come so that we can sort out how to plan the transitional period.

Buhari: Alright, Your Excellency. Thank you very much

Jonathan: Okay, congratulations.

Buhari: My respects, Your Excellency. Thank you.