The Jonathan Presidency: Sordid Tales Of Treachery, Wanton Debauchery, Corruption And Rudderlessness 

BY ADEKUNLE OLANREWAJU

Introduction

Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Nigeria’s accidental president, is often peddled as a humble scholar-turned-statesman, a man of peace who graciously conceded defeat in 2015. But this carefully curated image is a façade, concealing a presidency steeped in corruption, incompetence, and moral decay that plunged Nigeria into chaos. From billions looted in scandalous deals to whispers of hidden fortunes in his Otuoke homeland, from a leader distracted by indulgence to a nation abandoned to terrorists, Jonathan’s tenure is a dark chapter in Nigeria’s history. This exposé rips away the saintly mask, revealing a leader who betrayed a nation’s trust while cloaking himself in false humility—a devil dressed in angelic robes.

The Doctrine Of Necessity: A Convenient Coup

Jonathan’s rise to power was no democratic triumph but a calculated political heist. In 2010, with President Umaru Yar’Adua incapacitated, the Nigerian Senate invoked the so-called “Doctrine of Necessity” to install Jonathan as Acting President, bypassing constitutional clarity. This maneuvre, described by political analyst Chidi Amuta as a “contrived necessity,” was less about national stability and more about elevating a malleable figure from the oil-rich Niger Delta to secure the interests of powerful elites. Jonathan, a zoologist with no national electoral mandate, was thrust into Aso Rock, an accidental leader whose unpreparedness would soon manifest in catastrophic governance failures. Statements like one from (NaijaTruths) call his ascent a “rigged game,” suggesting he was a puppet for oil barons and political godfathers. This dubious rise set the stage for a presidency defined by opportunism and a betrayal of Nigeria’s democratic ideals.

The Arms Deal Scandal: A Treasury Turned ATM

Under Jonathan’s watch, the office of the National Security Adviser became a cash-dispensing machine for corrupt elites, with Sambo Dasuki at its helm. The $2.1 billion arms deal scandal saw funds meant to arm Nigeria’s military against Boko Haram siphoned off to bankroll Jonathan’s 2015 re-election campaign. Court documents reveal $47 million in cash, stuffed into suitcases, was withdrawn from the Central Bank on Jonathan’s orders, funneled to political allies and cronies. Soldiers, left with obsolete weapons, were massacred in droves, with over 20,000 deaths and 2 million displaced by 2015, per Human Rights Watch. Fadeagbo on the media decries the “depleted military” and “looted arms funds,” echoing public outrage. Dasuki’s 2015 arrest exposed a web of complicity, yet Jonathan’s unscathed status fuels suspicions that his “humble” persona was a shield—or that he orchestrated the plunder through proxies. This scandal alone brands his regime as Nigeria’s most corrupt, a betrayal that cost countless lives.

Opl 245: The Oil Heist Of The Century

The OPL 245 oil block scandal, involving a $1.3 billion deal with Shell and Eni, is a monument to Jonathan’s alleged greed. Nigerian government lawyers in a 2017 London court filing accused Jonathan and his oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of orchestrating a scheme to “receive bribes and make a secret profit.” The deal, facilitated through intermediaries linked to high-level corruption, saw $520 million allegedly allocated for Jonathan and his allies, with $50 million in cash reportedly delivered to Eni’s regional head, per Global Witness. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) estimates Nigeria lost $6 billion in potential revenue due to the deal’s lopsided terms. Alison-Madueke, Jonathan’s close confidante, faces ongoing corruption charges, while Jonathan’s denials ring hollow amid international investigations in Milan and the Netherlands. This scandal paints a presidency that treated Nigeria’s oil wealth as a personal piggybank, enriching a select few while impoverishing the nation.

The NNPC’s Missing Billions: A Looted Legacy

Jonathan’s administration presided over one of Nigeria’s most audacious financial scandals: the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) failure to remit $48.9 billion in oil revenue. In 2013, then-Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi exposed this “leakage,” estimating $20 billion was unaccounted for. Jonathan’s swift suspension of Sanusi, a globally respected economist, was seen as a desperate cover-up. A 2014 audit confirmed at least $1.48 billion was missing, though insiders suggest the true figure was far higher. Well meaning Nigerians slams Jonathan for depleting the Excess Crude Account from $20 billion to $2.1 billion during an oil boom, leaving no tangible infrastructure. President Buhari’s claim that Jonathan left the treasury “virtually empty” resonates with Nigerians who endured a triple-digit recession post-2015. Jonathan’s insistence that he left funds intact is a feeble defense against the undeniable plunder that crippled Nigeria’s economy.

Otuoke’s Secret Fortunes: Whispers Of Hidden Wealth

It is a truism that Jonathan amassed staggering wealth through proxies, with tales of cash piles stashed in his Otuoke ancestral home in Bayelsa State. Noble Eyisi reveal on a Media post

“Jonathan looted us dry,” feed a narrative of a president who transitioned from canoe-maker’s son to billionaire. In 2017, Jonathan’s demand for one billion naira to cover travel from Otuoke to Abuja for a court appearance in Olisa Metuh’s corruption case stunned Nigerians, with Yinka Odumakin calling it “the arrogance of ill-gotten wealth.” His family’s opulent lifestyle—private jets, luxury homes—clashes with his humble origins, raising questions about the source of their fortune. These factual statements cement the perception that Jonathan’s presidency was a vehicle for personal enrichment, leaving Nigeria’s masses in poverty while his inner circle thrived.

A Leader Lost In Pleasure: Governance Abandoned

While Nigeria burned, Jonathan was allegedly consumed by indulgence, distracted by exotic women and lavish pleasures. He was entangled in dalliances, even with cabinet members, losing touch with Nigeria’s political realities. These whispers, align with a broader image of a president unmoored from duty. His wife, Patience Jonathan, faced a 2006 money-laundering probe, with $13.5 million later seized by the EFCC, reinforcing the family’s tainted image. John Fanimokun a concerned Nigerian brands his regime “corrupt-driven,” pointing to the 2014 Chibok kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls as a low point. Jonathan’s delayed response—weeks of inaction as the world cried #BringBackOurGirls—exposed his administration’s paralysis. His claim that Boko Haram was “under control” as attacks escalated was a cruel mockery of Nigeria’s suffering, painting a leader more at home in opulence than in Aso Rock.

Boko Haram’s Reign: A Nation Betrayed

Jonathan’s failure to curb Boko Haram’s insurgency is a damning indictment of his leadership. The group’s attacks, which killed over 20,000 and displaced millions, exposed a military gutted by corruption. The 2010 Independence Day bombing, which killed 12, was linked by militant leader Henry Okah to Jonathan’s aides, allegedly to frame opponents. The 2014 Chibok kidnapping and the 2015 Baga massacre, where hundreds died, underscored his administration’s impotence. Fade Agbo lists “Chibok, Boko Haram, [and a] depleted military” as Jonathan’s legacy. His 2012 state of emergency and Joint Task Force deployment failed, with Human Rights Watch criticizing the military’s “indiscriminate” tactics. Jonathan’s perceived apathy as a Christian southerner to the Muslim North’s plight deepened divisions, leaving Nigeria vulnerable and fractured.

Judicial Manipulation: Democracy Under Siege

Jonathan’s presidency was marked by brazen interference in Nigeria’s judiciary, undermining democratic institutions. Davids Offor on the media recounts how Jonathan’s government recognized a candidate with 15 votes over one with 19 in the 2013 Nigeria Governors Forum election, a move seen as a power grab. In a 2014 speech, Jonathan admitted that government officials dictated judgments to judges, a revelation cites as evidence of a “compromised judiciary.” This meddling eroded investor confidence and public trust, with the suspension of Appeal Court President Ayo Salami in 2011 widely viewed as political vendetta. These actions portray a president who treated the judiciary as a tool for political survival, not justice, further eroding his democratic credentials.

The Subsidy Heist: Fueling Corruption

The 2012 fuel subsidy scandal is another stain on Jonathan’s legacy. The House of Representatives probe revealed that $6.8 billion in subsidy payments were mismanaged between 2010 and 2012, with 197 firms implicated in fraudulent claims. Jonathan’s failure to act decisively—sacking only a few officials while protecting key allies—suggested complicity. Nigerians called it a “subsidy scam that enriched Jonathan’s cronies,” noting ongoing UK court cases involving implicated firms. The scandal sparked nationwide protests, with Nigerians decrying the removal of subsidies that tripled fuel prices overnight. Jonathan’s claim of reforming the sector was overshadowed by the perception that his regime enabled a looting spree, leaving ordinary Nigerians to bear the cost.

A False Redemption: The Statesman Mirage

Since leaving office, Jonathan has fashioned himself as a global statesman, serving as an ECOWAS special envoy and chair of the International Summit Council for Peace. His 2015 concession of defeat, a first for Nigeria, earned him international acclaim, but critics argue it was a calculated move to escape accountability. Well meaning Nigerians

laments his failure to implement the 2014 National Confab Report, a missed chance to restructure Nigeria. The depletion of external reserves from $40 billion to $28.5 billion during an oil boom, per Central Bank data, and ongoing subsidy heist cases in UK courts belie his claims of economic stewardship. His fertilizer sector reforms are dwarfed by the scale of corruption under his watch. Jonathan’s post-presidency glow cannot erase the scars of a nation left poorer, less secure, and more divided.

Conclusion: A Legacy Of Betrayal

Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency, sold as a tale of humility and progress, is a grim saga of corruption, incompetence, and betrayal. From the looted billions of the arms deal and OPL 245 scandals to rumors of cash stashed in Otuoke, from a leader lost in indulgence to a nation ravaged by Boko Haram, Jonathan’s tenure is Nigeria’s darkest hour. His judicial meddling, human rights violations, and subsidy heist cemented a regime that prioritized power over people. As Nigeria reels from his failures, the saintly mask falls, revealing a fraud who squandered a nation’s hope. Jonathan’s legacy is not one of good luck but of great loss—a devil in angelic robes who left Nigeria bleeding.

…Adekunle Olanrewaju, a political commentator/analyst based in Awka can be reached via dailyledger09@gmail.com