My husband did not contest his lost election to return to aso rock, to avoid bloodshed, says Patience Jonathan
The Nigeria’s former first lady Patience Jonathan has disclosed that her husband, Dr Goodluck Jonathan did not contest his lost election for second term in office in 2025, as a way to avoid bloodshed in the country.
Penpushing reports that wife of former President, known for humorous but confident English-speaking oddity made the disclosure at a colloquium organised to mark the 60th anniversary of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), held in Abuja.
“When we failed the election, we were together in the room when we were told we had lost. I did not whisper to him that we must stay because we would shed blood. Innocent people would die, and we didn’t know who would die. It might be me; it might be you or my brother and sisters. We didn’t need anybody to die”, she added.”
Penpushing further reports that the 58-year-old Jonathan whose husband ruled between 2010 to 2015, said she was not ready to return to the Presidential Villa, if given such opportunity again, stressing that the stress of Nigeria is too much
‘The stress of Nigeria is too much. I won’t go there if you call me now for the Villa. I won’t. Don’t you see how young I am looking? The stress is so much. If God manages to bring you out of it, you should glorify God and thank Him. It is the Lord’s doing, and (it is) marvellous in our eyes. He took you there once, so why do you want to go there again? I won’t go’, she emphasized
Penpushing also reports that Jonathan who reminisced about her time as the country’s first lady said she encouraged her husband not to cling to office, contrary to speculation before the election and the release of the poll’s full results that Jonathan would not leave office even if he lost the election to Buhari.
The former first lady refuting the speculation, said his husband never opted for such a path but gracefully accepted the outcome and conceded defeat to his opponent, Muhammed Buhari, without resistance or public outcry.
Penpushing reports that before becoming Nigeria’s President, Jonathan served as the Vice President to the late President Umar Yar’adua, and initially stepped in as the Acting President when Yar’adua fell ill, and fully assumed the President’s position when Yar’adua died in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa state born politician, however, lost his reelection bid, to former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.which would have enabled him to stay in the as President in the Villa for another four years.
FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email [email protected]
