Former President Goodluck Jonathan has attributed his defeat in the 2015 presidential election to widespread betrayal within his political circle, noting that loyalty is a rare commodity in Nigerian politics.

Jonathan made the remarks on Thursday at the 70th birthday celebration of former Edo State Deputy Governor, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, who also served as his Chief of Staff during his presidency.

Reflecting on his political journey, Jonathan said his experience in 2015, when he sought a second term in office but lost to the then opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, was marked by disloyalty from those he trusted most.

“Politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals,” Jonathan said. “I’ve witnessed a lot of betrayals, especially in my 2015 elections. Mike is one of the few friends who would give up his neck for me. He is somebody you can take his word to the bank, but most other politicians, you cannot. They will tell you something in the morning and say another in the evening.”

Jonathan had famously conceded defeat to Buhari even before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the final results, placing a call to congratulate his rival. 

At the time, he explained that his decision was aimed at preventing post-election violence and saving the nation from bloodshed.

At Thursday’s event, Jonathan described Ogiadomhe as a rare example of loyalty and trustworthiness in Nigerian politics, highlighting his role as a steadfast ally during and after his time in office.

The former President’s comments are the latest in a series of reflections on his historic 2015 defeat, which ended the 16-year dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ushered in the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC).