Former President Goodluck Jonathan has rubbished reports suggesting that he accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of having a connection with Boko Haram. He recently revealed that his comments were wrongly portrayed, and Nigerians have been reacting.
In a press statement released by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, GEJ clarified that he never alleged or hinted that Buhari supported or was connected to the terrorist group.
According to Eze, Goodluck’s remarks only highlighted Boko Haram’s deceptive tactics, and his intention was not to implicate the deceased in any way.
He stated that GEJ’s comments were grossly misrepresented, stressing that the former president was only highlighting Nigeria’s security challenges.
“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,” he said.
Eze further urged Nigerians to ignore the distorted reports, emphasizing that GEJ remains committed to peace, unity, and democracy in the country.
He concluded by saying that Jonathan is fully aware that the late PMB was firmly against terrorism, like every other patriotic Nigerian out there.
“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,” he added.
