Jonathan has denied implicating Buhari in Boko Haram remarks.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has dismissed reports suggesting he accused the late former President Muhammadu Buhari of having links with Boko Haram, describing such claims as a gross misrepresentation of his remarks.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan clarified that his comments during the public presentation of “Scars”, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.), were misinterpreted by sections of the media.
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According to the statement, Jonathan never implied or insinuated that Buhari was connected to or supportive of the Boko Haram insurgency.
“The attention of the Office of Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been drawn to misleading reports suggesting that Dr. Jonathan alleged that Boko Haram nominated the late President Muhammadu Buhari to represent them in dialogue with the Federal Government, and therefore made him complicit in the crisis.
We wish to make it abundantly clear that the former President’s comments were grossly misrepresented,” the statement read.
Jonathan explained that his reference to Buhari was used only to illustrate Boko Haram’s deceptive tactics, noting that the group often invoked the names of respected Nigerians to create confusion, exploit political divisions, and erode public confidence in government.
“His comments were an illustration of the group’s duplicity, not an accusation against the late former president or any other individual,” the statement added.
Jonathan further emphasized that Buhari himself was a target of Boko Haram attacks and that both leaders shared a mutual commitment to restoring peace and stability in Nigeria.
“Dr. Jonathan recognizes that President Muhammadu Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence,” Eze stated.
The former president called on Nigerians to disregard distorted media reports, reaffirming his commitment to peace, unity, and democratic values.
“Nigeria’s progress depends on a truthful understanding of its challenges, not on the distortion of facts for political or sensational purposes,” Jonathan maintained.
