How Jonathan betrayed Obama in 2015 – Prof. Onuoha
…Says, what happened to Jonathan may happen to Buhari
Director Centre for American Studies and Professor of Political Science in University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof. Jonah Onuoha has reacted to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s claim that former President of the United State, Barack Obama’s video message scuttled his 2015 re-election ambition.
Jonathan in his book tittled, “My Transition Hours” recently launched noted that the outlandish video message of Barack Obama to Nigerians prior to the 2015 general elections which greatly influenced the outcome of the election was “condescending”.
Revealing the intrigues that play out in an interview with Daily Times, Onuoha said Jonathan should have explained why Obama ruined his 2015 re-election bid.
“Jonathan was not able to explain why Obama did what he did; I can tell you that what happened was that Obama felt betrayed by Jonathan not voting for his two state policies for Israel and Palestine.
“There were two major things that happened during Obama’s administration, I will explain one which is the most important. Obama solicited for support from UN Security Council member states to get two state structure for Israel and Palestine.
“Jonathan had assured him of Nigeria’s support.
“What Obama needed was nine country’s vote out of the fifteen member states to have a two State structure.
“If you remember Nigeria was a UN non-permanent Security Council member from 1966 to 2015.
“Unfortunately, another group came to Jonathan and convinced him that voting for two State structure will be a fight against Israel and Christians.
“At the end Nigeria voted against the two State structure leaving the result to be eight votes as against Obama’s targeted nine.
“So, Obama saw what as a big betrayal despite Americans huge contribution to Nigeria and Africa development. U.S wanted a president that will support and respect Americans foreign policy.
“That was why Obama plotted the regime change that will usher in Buhari as Nigeria president.
“He went further to place arms sale embargo on Jonathan’s government, making it difficult for him to fight Boko Haram.
“Jonathan saw the handwriting on the wall that the 2015 election war against him was not only within the country. That was the major reason he conceded defeated before the final result was announced.
The university don however warned that what happened to Jonathan may happen to Buhari if care is not taken.
“Recall that recently President Donald Trump gave recognition to Jerusalem as capital of Israel and had since moved US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“It is no more news that Nigeria and other African countries do not support this move, America is not always happy with governments that fails to implement its foreign policies.
“Trump has threatened to deal with dissident countries.
“Let us hope that Trump who is believed to be more serious and brutal in implementing his foreign policy will not show interest in Nigeria’s 2019 election”.
