President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that the results of the 2007 presidential election, which produced late President Umar Yar’Adua, embarrassed him in the international community.
Speaking while receiving the outcome of the National Stakeholders Forum on Electoral Reform by former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, the President said when he was Vice President, people kept asking him embarrassing questions whenever he travelled abroad.
He explained that despite the judgement of the Supreme Court, which declared Yar’Adua the winner, it was still presumed by some people that the election was not free and fair.
Jonathan stated that considering the embarrassing questions, he decided that if he had the opportunity to oversee the conduct of elections in the country, it would be free and fair.
He said: “I was embarrassed when the international observers complained that there were certain breaches.
“Even though after taking oath of office and the Supreme Court declared us winners, but each time one travelled abroad, people asked all kinds of questions that even got one angry.
“That was when I promised myself that if I have an opportunity to oversee elections in Nigeria, no other President or Vice President should suffer that can kind of harassment by the international community “That is why the 2011 elections, even though I was candidate, I said nobody should manipulate elections for me.
That my ambition and the fate of the country are two different things, the interest of the nation is much more superior to any other ambition and I kept faith with that.
“At least at the end of that election, it was accepted by observers locally and internationally. And I promise that 2015 elections will be better,” he added. Jonathan stressed the need for a body dedicated to punishing electoral offenders in the country so that people who commit electoral offences would not get away with it.
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