Former President Goodluck Jonathan has won the African Leadership Magazine Person of the Year, 2015. Jonathan defeated APC National chairman, Bola Tinubu, founder of ECONET wireless Strive Masiyiwa, former UBA Chairman Tony Elumulelu, President, African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina and Koffi Anan, former UN secretary general to win the award.
Jonathan’s victory was disclosed in a letter sent to him by former, Pro Tempore president of the Liberian senate and chairman of the 2015 African Leadership Person of the Year selection committee, Cletus Wortoson. The letter in part reads :
“There is no one best suited at the moment than your excellency, to advise the continent’s leaders on the merits of good governance and enduring democracy”. Your popular mantra of ‘one man one vote’ and ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,’ is a message that must be preached loud and clear on the continent, hence our endorsement. It is with great pleasure that I bring you the news of your selection as the African Leadership Magazine Person of the Year, 2015.
Chief among the many factors we considered was your efforts towards promoting good governance in Africa through the promotion of free and fair elections across the continent. Your recent assignment to Tanzania received accolades and international acclaim, because you discharged the responsibility most creditably.
We resolved that there is no one best suited at the moment than Your Excellency, to advise the continent’s leaders on the merits of good governance and enduring democracy.
The board is fully persuaded that you have served your country, Nigeria, meritoriously, conducted a free and fair election, in which you lost and yet conceded defeat, a development seeing by many in the continent as historical.
Your popular mantra of ‘one man one vote’ and ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,’ is a message that must be preached loud and clear on the continent, hence our endorsement.”