Why did Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan lose the election?

World Today

Following a bitterly contested election, outgoing Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan offered congratulations to his successor, Muhammadu Buhari. But why did he lose and what propelled his opponent to victory? Those are questions many Nigerians are asking almost a week after the election. As CCTV’s Deji Badmus reported, Jonathan is the first sitting President to lose an election to the opposition in Nigeria.

Highlights:

  • The outcome of the election effectively ends 16 years of uninterrupted People Democratic Party’s rule in Nigeria.
  • The party has battled a debilitating crisis for much of the past four years with most of its very senior members defecting to Buhari’s APC and campaigned vigorously against Jonathan.