2015 Elections Revisited: The Night Jonathan Called Buhari To Concede Election Defeat

The night of March 31, 2015, became a defining moment in Nigeria’s democracy as Goodluck Jonathan’s call to Muhammadu Buhari set a new precedent.

With Buhari leading the presidential race by nearly three million votes, Jonathan, the incumbent president, made an unprecedented move—he called his opponent to concede defeat even before the final results were officially announced.

In that moment, Nigeria witnessed its first-ever peaceful transition of power from one political party to another, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s democratic journey.

Naijaonpoint recalls that the 2015 general election was one of the most anticipated and contentious in Nigeria’s history.

With heated campaigns, intense political rhetoric, and widespread anxiety, many feared the country could descend into chaos depending on the election outcome. The world watched as Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy, stood at a critical crossroads.

For sixteen years, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had held power, but the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through a strategic merger gave the opposition newfound strength.

Riding on the momentum of the “change” movement, APC presented Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential candidate against the incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP.

As Nigerians cast their votes on March 28, the political atmosphere was tense. When results started rolling in, it became evident that Buhari had secured a decisive lead of nearly three million votes.

However, before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially declared the winner, Jonathan made an unprecedented move—he called Buhari to concede defeat.

“Nobody’s Ambition Is Worth the Blood of Any Nigerian”

Jonathan’s decision stunned many, especially those in his inner circle who urged him to contest the results. But for Jonathan, the choice was clear.

“Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. We pray to God to give us that wisdom to make sure we conduct ourselves in a way that will not set the country ablaze because of our personal ambitions,” he stated.

That phone call was a defining moment in Nigerian politics. It marked the first time a sitting president voluntarily conceded defeat, ending PDP’s 16-year dominance and setting a precedent for peaceful transitions in the country.

Behind the Scenes at Aso Rock

Jonathan’s spokesperson at the time, Reuben Abati, later revealed that the situation within the presidential villa was tense as the final results became clear.

“By the time they were announcing Borno state, it was already clear that President Buhari, as he later became, was leading with about 3 million votes. It was at that point that the drama began in the villa,” Abati told the BBC.

Security agencies had warned of potential unrest, and Jonathan’s advisors were divided.

“The people from the Niger Delta were saying the president should stand firm. Some other people, mainly the minister and the attorney general of the federation, Mohammed Adoke, were saying, ‘look, the president should apply wisdom,’” Abati recalled.

Ultimately, Jonathan stood by his belief that political ambition should never come at the cost of national peace.

He placed a call to the control room and said, “Please get me President Buhari on the line.” The call almost didn’t go through due to connection issues, but once it did, the moment was sealed.

Buhari won with 15,424,921 votes against Jonathan’s 12,853,162.

“It Should Always Be the Nation First”

A month after the election, while addressing new ambassadors, Jonathan explained his reasoning for conceding.

“As for me, as a matter of principle, it is always the nation first,” he said. “You need to have a nation before you can have an ambition. It should always be the nation first. You don’t have to scuttle national progress for personal ambition.”

He referenced his experiences mediating political crises in other African nations, warning that “if you scuttle a system for personal ambition, it becomes a collective tragedy.”

Buhari’s Reaction: “I Was Shocked”

Reflecting on the phone call in May 2016, Buhari admitted he had not expected Jonathan to give up power so easily.

“Of course, there was dead silence on my end because I did not expect it. I was shocked,” Buhari said.

“I did not expect it because after 16 years, the man was a deputy governor, governor, vice-president, and was president for six years. For him to have conceded defeat even before the result was announced by INEC, I think it was quite generous and gracious of him.”

The Phone Call That Changed History

Below is the brief but historic conversation that symbolized a new chapter for Nigeria’s democracy:

Buhari: Hello, Your Excellency

Jonathan: Your Excellency, how are you?

Buhari: I’m all right.

Jonathan: Congratulations.

Buhari: Thank you very much, Your Excellency.

Jonathan: Yeah. So, how are things?

Buhari: Well, I’d congratulate you more because you….

Jonathan: …some of these days to come so that we can sort out how to plan the transitional period.

Buhari: Alright, Your Excellency. Thank you very much.

Jonathan: Okay, congratulations.

Buhari: My respects, Your Excellency. Thank you.