Jonathan reflects on his feelings after losing the 2015 presidential election
In a speech on Friday, former President Goodluck Jonathan reflected on the difficult experience of losing the 2015 presidential election, describing it as one of the hardest times in his political life.
Jonathan shared how he felt overwhelmed, almost as if the world had turned against him, when he learned of the results. He spoke about this emotional journey at the first-ever Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture, hosted by Daar Communications with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Running as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Jonathan was defeated by Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress. Buhari received 15,424,921 votes, while Jonathan received 12,853,162. This loss was historic, as it marked the first time in Nigeria that a sitting president was not re-elected.
Jonathan recalled the deep emotional toll of that time, admitting it was a struggle he couldn’t fully put into words. He also expressed gratitude for Raymond Dokpesi, the Chairman of Daar Communications, who supported him during his transition to private life after leaving office.
“It’s not easy to lose as a president,” Jonathan said with a smile, describing how Dokpesi had invited him over before the handover and shared comforting words with him. While many elder statesmen also reached out, Dokpesi’s encouragement stood out, urging him to look beyond the election results.
“That conversation brought me hope,” Jonathan shared, saying it strengthened him not just for the transition but for his life as a private citizen as well. He added that he talks about this experience in more detail in his book, My Transition Hours.
