I Never Accused Buhari Of Links To Boko Haram – Goodluck Jonathan

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected assertions alleging that he charged the departed President Muhammadu Buhari with maintaining associations with Boko Haram, insisting that his statements were distorted and taken out of context.

In an announcement released by his communications assistant, Ikechukwu Eze, dated October 4, Jonathan emphasized that he had never proposed or intimated that Buhari possessed any affiliation with the militant organization or endorsed it under any circumstances.

On Friday, during his address at the official unveiling of ‘Scars’, a volume penned by Lucky Irabor, the previous head of defence staff (CDS), Jonathan remarked that Boko Haram had previously selected Buhari, the individual who followed him in office, to conduct discussions representing their interests with the central authorities. Jonathan, having held the presidency from 2010 until 2015, indicated that the extremists referenced Buhari subsequent to his government’s establishment of working groups aimed at investigating potential conversations with the faction.

Nevertheless, Garba Shehu, the earlier media representative for Buhari, countered the allegation by labeling it as “false and politically motivated”.

Eze indicated that Jonathan’s observations constituted elements within a more extensive examination of Nigeria’s defense dilemmas and were intended to emphasize the sly maneuvers adopted by Boko Haram during its formative periods.

“The attention of the Office of Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been drawn to misleading reports circulating in sections of the media suggesting that Dr Jonathan alleged that Boko Haram nominated the late President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to represent them in dialogue with the Federal Government, and therefore this made him somehow complicit in the Boko Haram crisis.

We wish to make it abundantly clear that the former President’s comments were grossly misrepresented. At no time did Dr Jonathan suggest, imply, or insinuate that President Buhari had any connection with Boko Haram or that he supported the group in any form.

Dr Jonathan’s remarks, made in the course of a broader discussion on Nigeria’s security challenges, were meant to illustrate the deviousness and manipulative strategies employed by Boko Haram in their early years.

His reference was to a well-documented episode when various individuals and factions falsely claimed to represent the terrorist group and purported to name prominent Nigerians as possible mediators, without those individuals’ knowledge or consent.

The point Dr Jonathan sought to make was that Boko Haram, in its characteristic deceit, often invoked the names of respected public figures to sow confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.

His comments were therefore an illustration of the group’s duplicity, not an accusation against the late former president or any individual, for that matter.

The former president’s position was that if indeed Buhari was their choice negotiator, why didn’t Boko Haram expeditiously bring their evil terrorist agenda to an end when the retired General became president?

For the avoidance of doubt, Dr Jonathan recognises that President Muhammadu Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence. Both men, during their respective tenures, shared a common commitment to restoring peace and stability to Nigeria.”

Eze requested that citizens of Nigeria “disregard any misinterpretation remarks”, further noting that the ex-president continues to uphold his dedication to tranquility, solidarity, and the reinforcement of foundational principles in Nigeria’s democracy.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli