Media Misrepresented My Comments, I Never Said Late Muhammadu Buhari Was A Boko Haram Sympathizer-Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified and submitted that the comments he made during a book launch event in Abuja on Friday were misrepresented by the media noting that he never said former President Muhammadu Buhari was a boko haram sympathizer.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Dr Jonathan, who made the clarification in a statement issued  by his spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze on Saturday, urged members of the public to disregard any misinterpretation of his remarks adding that the late Muhammadu Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence.

Recall that the former president had while giving his speech during the public presentation of ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum’, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, retired General Lucky Irabor in Abuja on Friday, talked about how the issue of the insurgent group was handled during his presidency and the challenges he faced.

‘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 recognizes 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.

 The Office of the Former President therefore urges the public to disregard any misinterpretation of his remarks. Dr Jonathan remains committed to peace, unity, and the strengthening of democratic values in Nigeria. He believes that the nation’s progress depends on a truthful understanding of its challenges, not on the distortion of facts for political or sensational purposes’ the statement added-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079,  08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you