Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has spoken about the immense tension he faced while serving as Vice President under President Umaru Yar’Adua.
In an interview with the Rainbow Book Club regarding his memoir, ‘My Transition Hours’, Jonathan recounted conspiracies aimed at removing him from the Presidential Villa to prevent the South from succeeding Yar’Adua.
According to Jonathan, the country was extremely tense at the time due to the “North-South, Christian-Muslim divide.”
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He stated that he heard “about coup rumors daily,” and when Yar’Adua was abroad for medical treatment, some friends advised him to vacate the Presidential Villa for his safety.
However, Jonathan rejected the advice, choosing to remain in the Presidential Villa regardless of the risks.
“I remember one day, I was still Vice President, they had not even moved the Doctrine of Necessity and some of my friends came and said, ‘No, you don’t have to sleep here. You have to come and sleep in my guesthouse.
“I said, ‘No.’ I will stay in the State House. If anybody wants to kill me, you should kill me in the State House so Nigerians will know that they assassinated me in the State House. They know I have not committed any offence,” Jonathan revealed.
