₦airaland Forum

Up to the time Professor Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was announcing the results of the March 28 presidential election on Wednesday, fear of uncertainty engulfed the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

However, it was not a fear occasioned by any conceivable loss of the election because with the result already trickling in the previous day, the camp knew the APC was coasting home to victory. But it was the uncertainty that President Goodluck Jonathan, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, would reject the results and invoke a military intervention to stop Buhari from ascending to the presidency.

The otherwise, after all, smacked a big surprise to APC, Buhari and his campaign organization.
And for conceding defeat and subsequently calling to congratulate the president-elect even before the last result was officially announced, Jonathan did not only carve a niche for himself but also launched into the community of patriots and statesmen.

These were thoughts expressed by the Director, Media and Publicity Directorate of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organization, APCPCO, Mallam Garba Shehu, in Abuja.

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard, Shehu, who was central to the election of Buhari by way of information dissemination and management, said that the campaign was the fiercest he had ever witnessed since he debuted into partisan politics.

He said: “I can say that the President acted with grace. He surprised us because we never expected that they would accept defeat. In fact, the sense everyone had was that they probably had plan A, B, C or D. And in any case, with the kind of thing that Mr. Orubebe did at the collation center, you knew that even when the President had grace, given the chance with the community of people around him, they could have threatened this democracy.

“Look, I have been involved in presidential campaigns about three or four times in the past, the difference is that this is the most fearful campaign that I have ever experienced. This is the most life threatening campaign because we were dealing with opponents we thought would stop at nothing because they were throwing everything into it.

“So, we were not taking anything for granted. It affected our lives. Would you see me in a night club? You couldn’t risk it because you didn’t even know who was trailing you. And it came as a huge relief.

“Again, we were getting security reports from our own sources. Until the President said ‘I concede’ and congratulated Buhari, we felt every minute that something wrong would happen. There was a clear and discernible threat to democracy as a system of government.

“Look, everyone felt concerned because, what if, God forbid, he declared a coup? These scenarios had been laid before Nigerians. Mr. Okupe, the Special Adviser to the President, was he not on Youtube, recorded on video, saying that Buhari will never become President? What do you take that for? It means that Buhari would win and they will take it away from him.

“This careless talk, arrogant display of power, it had come from the Villa. Many sources with linkages to power: Asari-Dokubo, Chief E.K. Clark and all of them, were they not sounding words to the President? They had said it that they would take away their part of the country from Nigeria if Buhari won.

“But for the President to have come and say ‘I accept accept defeat as the leader of the country’; that had an effect of really calming things down. And that’s why, whether they like it or not, President Jonathan has written his name in gold in so far as this is concerned.”

Shehu assured that the president-elect would not avenge the attacks on his person by the allies of Jonathan, saying there was enough work to do to meet the aspirations of Nigerians than pursuing mundane things.

See full interveiw excerpt at www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/buhari-we-feared-jonathan-would-not-accept-defeat/

Jonathan is not as desperate as Tinubu or Buhari.

That is the difference between Jonathan and Buhari. While Buhari and APC vowed to cause chaos by forming Parallel government if they lose, Jonathan being a perfect gentleman and a democrat to the core respected the will of the people and showed sportsmanship. Jonathan is a hero!!!!!

OdenigboAroli2:
Jonathan is not as desperate as Tinubu or Buhari.

Make your comment without saying rubbish.

Baba I love thee... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ #BabaNowThatYouAreThere don't forrget that graduate are still nt yet employed

They were scared he wont concede defeat which was the reason they were heaping propaganda on propaganda on us about interim govt,military takeover and this and that.What a devilish party.

barcanista:
That is the difference between Jonathan and Buhari. While Buhari and APC vowed to cause chaos by forming Parallel government if they lose, Jonathan being a perfect gentleman and a democrat to the core respected the will of the people and showed sportsmanship. Jonathan is a hero!!!!!

Education makes a lot of difference in a man. How can you expect a man who has no school cert to be patient. He should be expected to be on the same level as a motor park tout.

Op, am not Jega, I don't have the patience 2 read all this

Jega is the type of guy that reads terms n conditions.

Babanowthatyourethere Tanoids don get small sense

Many of us didn't believe too.

The type of desperation displayed by GEJ and his cohorts was the worst we have witnessed in the nation's history.

They threw away their senses and threw so much missiles at Buhari that we began to wonder if it was election they were contesting.

From Fayose's death wish adverts to Okupe and his aide outburst that Buhari will never be president suggesting they'd preferred ING or military overthrow.

From FFK running his diarrhea mouth to ridicule GMB at every given opportunity to PDP sponsoring hate and disgusting documentary about the person of GMB.

From opposing card reader and PVC to Orubebe disrupting collation proceedings.

APC, you guys were justified not to believe that GEJ will concede defeat.

Even TANoids on this forum boasted that GMB will not be president; and instead of GMB being president, Nigeria should break or military should take over.

It's the same TANoids spearheaded by Mr. Protection that are now talking rubbish here!

barcanista:
That is the difference between Jonathan and Buhari. While Buhari and APC vowed to cause chaos by forming Parallel government if they lose, Jonathan being a perfect gentleman and a democrat to the core respected the will of the people and showed sportsmanship. Jonathan is a hero!!!!!

STFU!

What perfect gentleman is Jonathan with all the crude methods he and his cabals involved in just to win the election?

Was it not one of his cabals (Okupe) that vowed to the press that Buhari will never be president while ranting like a deranged fellow?

Was it not he and his cabals that sponsored disgusting documentary on Buhari?

APC was very right to threaten to form a parallel government should the election be rigged having known that PDP were bent on rigging the election. So, WTF are you talking here?

No Nigerian Blood is Worth my Political Ambition- Jonathan

If I don't win,Baboon and Dog blood will flow- Buhari

Discuss and Eluciate with Clear cut points !!!

OdenigboAroli2:
Education makes a lot of difference in a man. How can you expect a man who has no school cert to be patient. He should be expected to be on the same level as a motor park tout.

You are absolutely right.

PassingShot:
STFU!

What perfect gentleman is Jonathan with all the crude methods he and his cabals involved in.

Crude method like insisting that the real results should be announced and accepting defeat? You make these African life long presidents proud.

OdenigboAroli2:
Jonathan is not as desperate as Tinubu or Buhari.

APC, Buhari & Tinubu has a lot to learn from Goodluck Jonathan on the true spirit of democracy which is NOT about winning all the time as they have never conceeded defeat in all their elections in Nigeria, whether in local govts, states or national polls.
All the tension, anxiety & probable violent bloodshed anticipated in the last election was generated by APC.

OdenigboAroli2:
Crude method like insisting that the real results should be announced and accepting defeat? You make these African life long presidents proud.

Go back and read my modified message and come back with a proper response.

luvinhubby:
APC, Buhari & Tinub has a lot to learn from.Goodluck Jonathan on the true spirit of democracy which is NOT about winning all the time as they have never conceeded defeat in all their elections in Nigeria, whether in local govts, states or national polls.
All the tension, anxiety & probable violent bloodshed anticipated in the last election was generated by APC.

I must win attitude as a result of born to rule mentality.

Djicemob:
They were scared he wont concede defeat which was the reason they were heaping propaganda on propaganda on us about interim govt,military takeover and this and that.What a devilish party.

Propaganda is their greatest weapon. They rode to power on falsehood, let us see whether their falsehood can yield dividends of democracy.

But let's all be honest
Buhari will thrive this country foward

barcanista:
That is the difference between Jonathan and Buhari. While Buhari and APC vowed to cause chaos by forming Parallel government if they lose, Jonathan being a perfect gentleman and a democrat to the core respected the will of the people and showed sportsmanship. Jonathan is a hero!!!!!

shut up foool he should try doing anything funny and incur the gbagbo-esque treatment.

PassingShot:
Go back and read my modified message and come back with a proper response.

Its changes nothing, your modifications makes your comments irrelevant as Okupe is clearly on his own, just like most people in this country, Amaechi and rochas inclusive.

luvinhubby:
APC, Buhari & Tinub has a lot to learn from.Goodluck Jonathan on the true spirit of democracy which is NOT about winning all the time as they have never conceeded defeat in all their elections in Nigeria, whether in local govts, states or national polls.
All the tension, anxiety & probable violent bloodshed anticipated in the last election was generated by APC.

Save us the preaching.

GEJ had no choice than to concede defeat because the whole world was watching. The worst he could have done was to go to court.

APC have not easily conceded defeat because PDP always rig and we all know that. They rig using the State Security outfits such as the military, the police and DSS.

GEJ is a democrat and he oversaw Ekitigate and the sacking of 19 lawmakers by four?

GEJ is a democrat and he oversaw the Governors Forum election where 16 was greater than 19?

GEJ's democratic credentials were next to zero. Conceding defeat to GMB is the only thing that has saved him from further ridicule and you guys should stop hyping it because he got no choice really.

obergath:
shut up foool he should try doing anything funny and incur the gbagbo-esque treatment.

Exactly! Jonathan had no other sensible option but they failed to know.

barcanista:
Propaganda is their greatest weapon. They rode to power on falsehood, let us see whether their falsehood can yield dividends of democracy.

same way Okorocha rode to power on falsehoods and sensational statements. Falsehood has still not changed imo political fortunes, apart from donating imolites money to APC, nothing mega

PassingShot:
Exactly! Jonathan had no other sensible option but they failed to know.

he said it a million times but you never heard it. "My political ambition is not worth a drop of a Nigerians blood"

in 2011 buhari stood by while corpers were gruesomely massacred.

OdenigboAroli2:
Its changes nothing, your modifications makes your comments irrelevant as Okupe is clearly on his own, just like most people in this country, Amaechi and rochas inclusive.

How will it be relevant to you? In your own dictionary, what the agents do should not be the business of the principal. Hypocrites!

luvinhubby:
APC, Buhari & Tinub has a lot to learn from.Goodluck Jonathan on the true spirit of democracy which is NOT about winning all the time as they have never conceeded defeat in all their elections in Nigeria, whether in local govts, states or national polls.
All the tension, anxiety & probable violent bloodshed anticipated in the last election was generated by APC.

You guys have started again with all these flippant remarks. When one decides to take you guys up on it, you would go "all APC does is insult people". How can a supposed human being with a brain make such careless statements??

And as for the "not conceding defeat whether in local governments", if I ask you to name 10% of the local government areas in the country, can you do so?? How do you know they don't accept defeat when you hardly know about local governments in other states besides that in which you reside??

You guys should be more circumspect and mature in your remarks. Learn from the Jega/Orubebe saga.

OdenigboAroli2:
he said it a million times but you never heard it. "My political ambition is not worth a drop of a Nigerians blood"

in 2011 buhari stood by while corpers were gruesomely massacred.

Stop feeding the gullible ones with your cheap deceit.

His ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian yet he supervised many provocations that could lead to chaos!

Keep the preaching and lick your wounds.

PassingShot:
How will it be relevant to you? In your own dictionary, what the agents do should not be the business of the principal. Hypocrites!

so when amaechi said they will form a parallel government, Buhari was in total support? Stop cursing and face me.

PassingShot:
STFU!

What perfect gentleman is Jonathan with all the crude methods he and his cabals involved in just to win the election?

Was it not one of his cabal (Okupe) that vowed to the press that Buhari will never be president while ranting like a deranged fellow?

Was it not he and his cabal that sponsored disgusting documentary on Buhari?

APC was very right to threaten to form a parallel government should the election be rigged having known that PDP were bent on rigging the election. So, WTF are you talking here?

well said bro! Buh pls I beg of u, just learn to ignore his posts. Since he chose to support the failed GEJ govt, he hz bn trying everything possible to sound reasonable buh, he makes no iota of sense, jst like the govt he has chosen to support.

PassingShot:
Stop feeding the gullible ones with your cheap deceit.

His ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian yet he supervised many provocations that could lead to chaos!

Keep the preaching and lick your wounds.

better than supporting mayhem just because you want to be president.