US hits back at Nigeria's ex-President, Buhari won fair polls in 2015

Spokesperson of the United States Mission in Nigeria has dispelled claims by the immediate past President of Nigeria, that President Obama had a hand in his electoral defeat in 2015.

In a book to be released tomorrow, the former Nigerian leader who failed in his reelection bid said the Obama administration had used unsubstantiated corruption allegations to set other world leaders against Jonathan.

“The US advocated a free, fair and transparent election. The election outcome was an expression of the will of the Nigerian people,” Russel Brooks is quoted by local media portals to have said. A direct response to Mr. Jonathan’s position.

The book titled ‘‘Against the Run of Play – How an incumbent President was defeated in Nigeria’‘ was written by Olusegun Adeniyi, he is also the author of ‘Power, Politics and Death: A front-row account of Nigeria under the late President Yar’ Adua.’

Jonathan who governed Nigeria between 2010 and 2015 was running for a second term bid but lost to incumbent Muhammadu Buhari who run on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“President Barack Obama and his officials made it clear to me by their actions that they wanted a change of government in Nigeria and were ready to do anything to achieve that purpose. They even brought some naval ships into the Gulf of Guinea in the days preceding the election,” Jonathan said on page 184 of the book.

“There was this blanket accusation that my body language was supporting corruption, a line invented by the opposition but which the media and civil society bought into and helped project to the world. That was the same thing I kept hearing from the Americans without specific allegations,” he added.

It was under the watch of Goodluck that Boko Haram run riot in most parts of the northeast leaving in their trail a humanitarian crisis. The insurgents have been largely pushed back but they occasionally launch suicide attacks on military installations and civilian population.

Another low point of the regime was the abduction of over 200 girls from a boarding school in Chibok, the current government has managed a number of safe rescues but over 150 of the girls still remain in captivity.