Former President Goodluck Jonathan has refuted reports quoting him as saying that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari was once nominated by the Boko Haram terrorist group to represent them in a dialogue with the federal government.
Jonathan, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs), Ikechukwu Eze, said his comments at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, in Abuja on Friday, were “grossly misrepresented”.
The statement said: “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.
“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.”
Jonathan had said at the book launch: “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.
“So, I was feeling that oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and have a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns.
“But it (the problem) is still there till today.”