Former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd) declared, yesterday, that President Goodluck Jonathan averted civil war in the country by conceding defeat to the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) even before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced the final result of the March 28 presidential election.
Danjuma, who spoke shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Jonathan, said if former Biafran warlord, late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, had done what President Jonathan did by conceding defeat, the Nigerian civil war would have been avoided. Danjuma said the President had set a record in the history of the country by conceding defeat.
The meeting between Jonathan and Danjuma took place at General Danjuma’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja.
According to Danjuma, if Ojukwu had done the same thing after the fall of Enugu, when his government had to flee into the bush, he would have saved the country from bloodshed.
Said he: “The outcome of the election and the manner in which President Jonathan conceded defeat to Buhari, is totally un-African, it is very important in the history of Africa.
“If Ojukwu did the same after the fall of Enugu, and conceded defeat to the federal troops he would have saved the nation one full year of bloodshed.
“President Jonathan has made history, set a record to be emulated by the rest of Africa and indeed the whole world. It’s an excellent thing he did.”
At the end of the meeting, Jonathan thanked Danjuma for his fatherly support during the election.
Jonathan’s meeting with Danjuma was part of preparations for handover of power to President-elect, Buhari, on May 29 this year.
Jonathan had been making wide consultations with relevant stakeholders across the country for a smooth transition.
Since the announcement of Buhari on March 28 by INEC as winner of the 2015 presidential election, Jonathan has been having private meetings with high profile citizens in the country.
He had also met with Buhari at the Presidential Villa last Friday to discuss the transition of government.
Danjuma, who spoke shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Jonathan, said if former Biafran warlord, late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, had done what President Jonathan did by conceding defeat, the Nigerian civil war would have been avoided. Danjuma said the President had set a record in the history of the country by conceding defeat.
The meeting between Jonathan and Danjuma took place at General Danjuma’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja.
According to Danjuma, if Ojukwu had done the same thing after the fall of Enugu, when his government had to flee into the bush, he would have saved the country from bloodshed.
Said he: “The outcome of the election and the manner in which President Jonathan conceded defeat to Buhari, is totally un-African, it is very important in the history of Africa.
“If Ojukwu did the same after the fall of Enugu, and conceded defeat to the federal troops he would have saved the nation one full year of bloodshed.
“President Jonathan has made history, set a record to be emulated by the rest of Africa and indeed the whole world. It’s an excellent thing he did.”
At the end of the meeting, Jonathan thanked Danjuma for his fatherly support during the election.
Jonathan’s meeting with Danjuma was part of preparations for handover of power to President-elect, Buhari, on May 29 this year.
Jonathan had been making wide consultations with relevant stakeholders across the country for a smooth transition.
Since the announcement of Buhari on March 28 by INEC as winner of the 2015 presidential election, Jonathan has been having private meetings with high profile citizens in the country.
He had also met with Buhari at the Presidential Villa last Friday to discuss the transition of government.
