Politics
US says Jonathan’s book misleading
The United States of America has reacted to the allegations made by former President Goodluck Jonathan in his book, “My Transition Hour.”
In a live chat on Facebook, the Public Affairs Officer at the US Consulate General Lagos, Mr Russell Brooks, described Jonathan’s claims as a “mischaracterisation.”
The former President, in the book, accused the former United States President, Barack Obama and a former Secretary of state, John Kerry of influencing electorates to vote for an opposition government prior to the 2015 general election.
Jonathan went on to lose the election to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari.
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Brooks who faulted the former President’s comments in his book said Jonathan failed to understand the interest of the US in having a credible election in Nigeria.
Brooks said, “It was mischaracterised in the book about what President Obama or his administration did in Nigeria. The mischaracterisation here refers to not comprehending why we felt it was important for Nigeria to have a peaceful, free and fair election in 2015.
“And thereby people may not understand why we placed so much importance of having a peaceful, free and fair and transparent election in 2019.
“In the past Nigeria’s elections had been beset by violence, there have been questions about the fairness of those elections. And we certainly believe that Nigeria can do better. In 2015, Nigeria did do better.
The top US diplomat reiterated the neutrality of the US in the 2019 election while pledging to support INEC, the media and civil society organisations.
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