Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan Reflects on Emotional Toll of 2015 Election Loss

In a heartfelt speech at the inaugural Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture in Abuja on Friday, October 25, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan opened up about the challenges he faced following his 2015 election defeat. 

Organised by Daar Communications and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, the event paid tribute to the late media mogul Raymond Dokpesi, who passed away in May 2023.

Jonathan, who served as Nigeria's president from 2010 to 2015, shared the overwhelming sense of isolation he felt after losing his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

"It is not easy to lose an election as a president. You will think the whole world is against you," he said. The election marked a historic moment as Jonathan, who ran under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), became the first sitting Nigerian president to concede defeat, congratulating Buhari even before the official announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

During the lecture, Jonathan credited Dokpesi’s support and guidance as instrumental in helping him navigate the transition. 

“Dokpesi invited me before I handed over. I remember what he said to me when I lost the election… After I listened to all the conversations, he congratulated me and encouraged me to look beyond the election,” Jonathan recounted, expressing gratitude for Dokpesi’s timely counsel that strengthened him both emotionally and spiritually.

Jonathan later shared these experiences in his memoir, My Transition Hours, offering an in-depth account of his transition from office and his journey as a private citizen following his presidency.