2015 Election: Members Of The Deep State Were Against Jonathan In 2015, And Produced Buhari—Olawunmi

Retired Commodore Kunle Olawunmi, a former Commandant of the Defence Intelligence College and former Deputy Director of Defence Administration at Defence Headquarters, has alleged that members of Nigeria’s deep state worked against former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election and helped bring former President Muhammadu Buhari to power.

Olawunmi made the allegation during an interview on State Affairs with Edmund Obilo on Saturday, October 24, 2026, while discussing the influence of powerful individuals and groups on political leadership in Nigeria.

Speaking from his background in military intelligence, the retired officer suggested that the emergence of political leaders may be influenced by powerful interests operating within the country’s political and institutional structures, beyond the activities of candidates and the choices presented to voters.

“Members of the deep state were against Jonathan in 2015. And they produced Buhari,” Olawunmi said.

His remarks point to the possible influence of powerful networks within Nigeria’s political establishment on the outcome of presidential elections.

However, the allegation, as presented in the interview, does not establish the identities of the individuals involved or provide specific evidence of how they allegedly influenced the electoral process.

The 2015 presidential election was a landmark event in Nigeria’s democratic history, as Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become president.

According to the official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Buhari secured 15,424,921 votes, while Jonathan polled 12,853,162 votes. The results gave Buhari a lead of 2,571,759 votes over the incumbent president.

Following the announcement of the results, Jonathan conceded defeat, paving the way for a peaceful transfer of presidential power from an incumbent to an opposition candidate.

The development was widely regarded as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

Watch the video starting from 19:12 to 19:20

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