Jonathan Denies Linking Buhari to Boko Haram, Blames Media Misrepresentation

The Office of former President Goodluck Jonathan has moved swiftly to clarify recent remarks made by the ex-leader regarding the late President Muhammadu Buhari and the Boko Haram insurgency, insisting that his comments were grossly misrepresented by sections of the media. Dependable NG reports that the clarification comes after public backlash followed Jonathan’s speech at the book launch of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor (rtd), where he referenced a past incident in which the terrorist group had nominated Buhari as their preferred mediator with the Federal Government during his administration.

In a detailed statement issued by the former President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Eze, the office emphatically denied that Dr. Jonathan suggested, implied, or insinuated that the former President Buhari had any form of connection with the Boko Haram group or that he supported their activities. The statement stressed that Jonathan’s reference to the nomination was purely meant to illustrate the complex and manipulative strategies employed by the insurgents in their early years.

The former President’s position was aimed at demonstrating the group’s “deviousness and manipulative strategies,” particularly their tactic of invoking the names of respected public figures, often without their knowledge or consent, to “sow confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.”

For a deeper understanding of the context, the statement elaborated that Jonathan’s original remarks questioned why the insurgency did not end “expeditiously” when the retired General became President in 2015, if he had truly been their preferred negotiator. This rhetorical question was intended to underscore the duplicity and deceitful nature of the terrorist group’s claims at the time.

The Office of the Former President also affirmed that Dr. Jonathan recognises that the late President Muhammadu Buhari, like all patriotic Nigerians, stood firmly against terrorism, noting that Buhari himself was a target of Boko Haram violence. Both men, the statement concluded, shared a “common commitment to restoring peace and stability to Nigeria” during their respective tenures. The general public was strongly urged to disregard any distortion or misinterpretation of Jonathan’s comments, with the former President reiterating his commitment to promoting peace, unity, and the strengthening of democratic values across Nigeria.