Jonathan Took Us For Granted And He Paid For It-Unongo

Elder statesman and deputy leader of Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Wartaregh Paul Unongo, has stated that President Goodluck Jonathan was the architect of his own defeat at the last presidential election.

The one time Minister of Power and Steel in the Second Republic, who spoke yesterday to reporters at his Makurdi residence, maintained that the defeat of President Jonathan was a product of the enormous blunders and slip ups the president committed in office.

The elder statesman said Nigerians were taken for granted by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and ended up paying the price for their overbearing confidence.

Unongo said: "This I told the president when I honoured his invitation three days to the presidential election. I had gone there with one of my sons, former military administrator of Katsina State and one time senator, Joseph Akaagerger.

"During our conversation I told him about the numerous mistakes he had made which would cost him his re-election. As we spoke, I saw a different president because from the manner he spoke with me, he is someone who believes in the Nigeria project.

"I saw a human face in him. This was different from the kind of picture that the people surrounding him presented to Nigerians, which sort of pictured him as an abusive and insensitive president.

"I told him that those presenting him before Nigerians had done great damage to his image and I strongly advised him to take bold steps to redeem his image (though I did not mention conceding defeat) and I can say that Jonathan took my advice."

The elder statesman, however, submitted that with the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari, there was hope for the nation.