Why Jonathan failed to win $5m Mo Ibrahim Prize

Allegations of corruption under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration might have been the reason he failed to win the prestigious $5million Mo Ibrahim Prize.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation on Thursday announced that no former African leader had met the “very high bar” for one of the world’s richest prizes.


Since established, the Ibrahim Prize has been awarded only four times in the decade and many people had thought former President Jonathan will win the award this time but he failed despite meeting a key criterion.
As a former African Executive Head of State who was democratically elected, served his constitutionally mandated term, demonstrated exceptional leadership, and willingly left office, it is unclear why Jonathan failed to win the prize.
Ripples Nigeria though, gathered that allegations of massive corruption under his administration which are presently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, may have cost him the prize.
While ex-South African President Nelson Mandela was awarded an honorary prize in 2007, so far, only the former presidents of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano; Botswana’s Festus Mogae; Namibia’s Hifikepunye Pohamba and Pedro Piers of Cape Verde have clinched the award.