Fresh facts have emerged about the world acclaimed
action of President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defeat to General Muhammadu
Buhari of the All Progressives Congress after Nigeria's presidential election
held last week.
Sources who have chosen remain anonymous revealed to
The Beam that Jonathan acted based on the reading of the unfolding results by
his National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, retired. Sambo, according to
our sources, told Jonathan that based on the results known at that time there
was no way, the president could defeat Buhari. Sambo advised him to take the
path of honour and write his name in Gold. The best thing for the president to
do was to call General Buhari and congratulate him, Sambo told his boss.
One of The Beam sources said Sambo advised the
president not to allow himself to be deceived by the likes of Godsday Erubebe
and his ilks. It could be recalled that Orubebe accompanied by some PDP agents
disrupted the collation of results at the International Conference Centre, ICC.
Orubebe poured venom on the Chairman of Independent
National Electoral Commission. Professor Attahiru Jega. Instructively, Orubebe
said repeatedly that Jega cannot continue with the collation of results, an
indication that some elements wanted the elector process aborted.
After Orubebbe's interruption, ,Jega explained what
happened .He accused Colonel Bello
Fadile(retd) who was acting as one of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP agents of
serving him with a petition improperly.
More importantly, Jega reminded Orubebe “you were a minister of the Federal
Republic and you are a statesman in your own right”. He advised the ex minister
to be mindful of his public conduct.
After reports emerged that President Goodluck Jonathan
had called General Buhari and congratulated him, more reports also filtered out
that Orubebe had expressed regret about his actions. The voice of reason
triumphed.
The Beam
sources said Sambo felt Orubebe's antics could destroy President
Jonathan's legacy of ensuring a free and
fair electoral process .He felt it was a golden opportunity which the president
should not miss, The Beam was told .Fortunately ,Jonathan also agreed entirely
with Sambo's reading of the situation, insiders said.
Another source who has worked closely with Jonathan
for more than four years told The Beam that essentially, the president has
always been a man of peace who always wanted the best for the country. Sadly,
the source said, he has been surrounded by some aides and ministers who have
hijacked the process of governance. One angry source also recalled the negative
effects of the moves and political miscalculations of the First Lady, Mrs.
Patience Jonathan which added to the president's woes. One of ources sources
said the president sadly trusted these aides and allowed them to operate.
“But when it mattered most Mr. President acted
courageously .Remember, he once told us that he was the most criticized
president. He also said on that occasion that his value will only be
appreciated at the end of his tenure., you remember his rather prophetic words?
”another Jonathan watcher said.
One source said, “Though Sambo advised Mr. President
to do so, it was Jonathan's decision to make that all important move and put a
call through to General Buhari and credit must be given to Mr. President”.
Another keen watcher of the presidency told The Beam the he believes Jonathan's
act of conceding defeat was an in-house decision not a product of any
international pressure. “I believe strongly that it is the kind of advice Sambo
can give because I know him very well. More importantly, Jonathan should be
commended for taking this Mandela- like decision”, the Aso Rock watcher said.
Indeed, most Nigerians have applauded Jonathan for his
unprecedented move. Even global powers led by United States President Barack
Obama and United Nations, UN secretary
General ,Ban Ki Moon among others have hailed the president's move.
An observer
recalled that Sambo's priority has all along been how to ensure peaceful and
credible election. The NSA stuck out his neck; the observer said, “When he
insisted the elections should be postponed from February 14th because he was
convinced that INEC was not ready. Can you imagine the crisis that would have
trailed a chaotic election on February 14th ?Several lives would have been
lost” he said further .Well ,the opposition saw thing different as APC felt the
regime was buying time in the face of imminent defeat.
One fact that was undeniable was that everyone was
apprehensive about the likelihood of post election violence. Several Nigerians
left their places of residence and relocated “home” or to places considered
“safe”.
Intelligence sources told The Beam that even the US
had increased her presence on the West
African Coast out of fear of violence in Nigeria.US ship with planes were
sighted of the coast of a West African coast, one source said. US planes were
seen doing regular exercises, which intelligence sources believe were part of
their readiness to swiftly intervene if violence broke out in Nigeria.
Mercifully, Jonathan's move saved Nigeria and global
powers all the troubles that could have arisen from post -presidential election
crisis.
Now, everyone hopes the gubernatorial and Houses of
Assembly elections will take place equally peacefully to reaffirm Nigeria's
position among the emerging global
beacons of democracy.
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