Former President Goodluck Jonathan has openly spoken about the betrayals he experienced during his bid for re-election in 2015, describing Nigeria’s political landscape as rife with deceit and shifting loyalties. Speaking at the 70th birthday celebration of Chief Mike Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe in Benin City, Edo State, Jonathan painted a picture of political survival marked by broken trust.
Jonathan credited Oghiadomhe, a former Chief of Staff during his presidency, as one of the few loyal friends willing to “stick out their necks” for him. “Politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals,” Jonathan stated. “I have witnessed a lot of betrayal during the 2015 election. You will find it difficult to see somebody who says the same thing in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.”
Reflecting on the turmoil of that election cycle, Jonathan linked these betrayals to the ultimate loss of his presidency to the then-newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate. Despite the setbacks, Jonathan’s candor highlights the challenges of navigating Nigerian politics where allegiance often proves fleeting.
Speculation continues about Jonathan’s potential run in the 2027 presidential election under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but the former president has yet to confirm these reports.