Paul Unongo: Jonathan caused own defeat.

While many Nigerians praise President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria for accepting defeat in the last presidential election won by General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, an elder statesman and Deputy leader of Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Wartaregh Paul Unongo, has disclosed that the President caused his own defeat at the poll.

Speaking at his home in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Unongo, the Minister of Power and Steel in the Second Republic, said Jonathan made a lot of mistakes that counted against him during the election.

President Jonathan is the first incumbent President of the country to be defeated.
Unongo said Jonathan, his government and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took Nigerians for granted and ended up paying the price for their overbearing confidence.

“This I told the president when I honoured his invitation three days to the presidential election. I had gone there with one of my sons, former military administrator of Katsina State and one time senator, Joseph Akaagerger.

“During our conversation I told him about the numerous mistakes he had made which would cost him his re-election. As we spoke, I saw a different president because from the manner he spoke with me, he is someone who believes in the Nigeria project.

“I saw a human face in him. This was different from the kind of picture that the people surrounding him presented to Nigerians, which sort of pictured him as an abusive and insensitive president.

“I told him that those presenting him before Nigerians had done great damage to his image and I strongly advised him to take bold steps to redeem his image (though I did not mention conceding defeat) and I can say that Jonathan took my advice,” he said adding that the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari had brought hope to the country and its citizens.