The British Government has responded to allegations by former Nigerian leader, Goodluck Jonathan, that they had a role in his loss of the 2015 presidential elections. They denied the allegation adding that Jonathan lost because the people selected Buhari.
In a book titled “Against the Run of Play,” written by a former Chairman of the Editorial Board of Thisday newspapers, Adeniyi Olusegun, Jonathan alleged that former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, connived with former United States President Barack Obama, among other world leaders, to push him out of office.
Reacting on Friday, the British High Commission in Nigeria in a statement signed by its Press and Public Affairs Officer, Joe Abuku, said the outcome of the 2015 elections was totally the decision of Nigerians.
Britain said the only role it played in the election was the engagement with Nigerians and their leaders prior to the elections to make it non-violent, free and fair.
The statement reads: “Prior to the 2015 elections in Nigeria, the UK engaged with Nigerian political parties and their leaders to urge them to run a fair, non-violent campaign and allow Nigerian voters to decide who their future political leadership would be.
“We congratulated President Jonathan on having handed over power peacefully in 2015 having lost the Nigerian Presidential elections.
“The elections were a credit to the Nigerian people and a truly historic moment for Nigerian democracy. This process further strengthened Nigeria’s democratic tradition.
“The UK welcomes the assessment of independent observers, including the EU, that Nigeria’s elections were largely peaceful and conducted in accordance with recognised international democratic norms, and that there was no evidence of systemic manipulation of the process.”
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