President Goodluck Jonathan assured Wednesday he will hand over power May 29 if he loses the forthcoming presidential polls billed for March 28.

Speaking on a televised interview with a panel of journalists, Mr. Jonathan sought to dispel speculations that he will not surrender power should he lose the polls.

“Even in 2011, I said that I will conduct free and fair elections and if I lose, I will happily go home. As that time, no sitting African president had lost election. But within this period a number of sitting African presidents have lost elections,” Mr. Jonathan said. “But I said I wanted to create history to be the first African president that will lose election. But let the world know that the elections are free and fair.”

President Jonathan has been accused of plotting to scuttle the transition process should he be defeated by his closest rival, former military…