Former president Goodluck Jonathan has described Nigerian politics as laced with betrayals, saying most politicians in the country cannot be trusted.

Speaking at the 70th birthday of a former Edo State deputy governor, Mike Oghiadomhe, in Benin City on Thursday, Mr Jonathan said he was betrayed during the historic 2015 presidential election.

“Politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals,” said the politician. “I witnessed a lot of betrayal during the 2015 election. You find it difficult to see somebody who is saying the same thing in the morning, afternoon and in the evening.”

The politician hailed Mr Oghiadomhe, who served as his chief of staff between 2010 and 2014, for his honesty, adding he was one of the few people he could trust.

Mr Jonathan stated, “Mike is one of the few friends I have who can give out their neck for me. He is one person who would take a bullet on my behalf. For me, he is somebody whose word you can take to the bank. You cannot take the words of most politicians to the bank. They will tell you something and in the next hour, they will tell you another thing.’’

Mr Jonathan was defeated by the then President Muhammadu Buhari in a historic election in 2015. The politician was, however, praised for conceding defeat and congratulating Mr Buhari despite alleged electoral malpractices that marred the process.

Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Mr Jonathan is reportedly being wooed to contest in the next poll as opposition tries to unseat Mr Tinubu.