El-Rufai’s Allegation of Persecution Unfounded, Says Jonathan

*Accuses gov of becoming bitter after losing vice
presidential bid

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the allegation
of persecution made against his administration by Kaduna State
Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, as a mere figment of his
imagination and concocted to attract cheap attention and
undeserving popularity.

Jonathan, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Reno Omokri, said
the allegation by el-Rufai that he was to be arrested in
furtherance of the second term bid of the former president was
untrue.

He said: “Nigerians may recall that Mr. el-Rufai was on a
self-imposed exile during the administration of the late great
President Umar Musa Yar’Adua.

“Mr. el-Rufai only returned to Nigeria on May 5, 2010, the very
same day that President Yar’Adua died. He returned because he
believed that under then-President Jonathan the atmosphere was more
conducive for him. This is borne out by a Wikileaks’ cable, in
which Mr. el-Rufai admitted that former President Jonathan is
‘clean and honest.’

“After this diplomatic cable was published by local and
international media on October 8, 2011, Mr. el-Rufai admitted that
he indeed made those comments.

“Exactly six days after his return, Mr. el-Rufai visited then
President Jonathan at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, on Tuesday,
May 11, 2010, and then held a press conference outside the then
president’s office, where he made unsolicited comments asking Dr.
Jonathan to contest the 2011 elections and said that he would
support him.

“After the then President named Mr. Namadi Sambo as his vice
president, two days later on May 13, 2010, Mr. el-Rufai became very
bitter and made plans to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and
began to undermine the Jonathan administration.”

The statement said despite the governor’s anti-government
activities, Jonathan declined to move against el-Rufai.

He said in keeping with the Jonathan doctrine of having no enemy
to fight, he refused to move against el-Rufai.

According to the statement, “Security reports received by the
then president indicated that Mr. el-Rufai was engaged in
provocative activities in order to instigate his own arrest,
because he felt it would boost his popularity.

“As such, he made several false and provocative comments that
were injurious to Nigeria’s peace, unity and progress, as well as
to our good relations with neighbouring nations, including that
then-President Jonathan founded and funded Boko Haram to the tune
of N50 billion to give Islam a bad name, which Mr. el-Rufai made on
September 8, 2014.

“That then President Jonathan had gone to the Republic of Chad
to plan Boko Haram attacks with the late President Deby, which he
made on November 25, 2014. And that he el-Rufai, along with [now
president] Buhari, and several other prominent Nigerians were on a
hit list of people to be shot and killed by the Jonathan
administration, which he made on January 5, 2014.”

According to the statement, Jonathan resisted the urge to order
el-Rufai’s arrest and subsequent prosecution in order not to
heighten political tension.

It said: “Mr. Nasir el-Rufai worked closely with then-President
Olusegun Obasanjo, who has described him in his book, My Watch
Volume 2, as follows: ‘Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is
almost pathological. Why does he do it? I recognised his
weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or
any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir el-Rufai.

“He barefacedly lied which he did to me against his colleagues
and so-called friends. I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged
the reputation of his uncle, a man who was like, in the African
setting, his foster father. I shuddered when I heard the story of
what he did to his half-brother in the Air Force who is senior to
him in age.’

“Malam el-Rufai was also exposed as a pathological liar on page
272 of ‘Power, Politics and Death: A Front-row Account of Nigeria
Under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua,’ written by former
THISDAY Editor and spokesman to President Yar’Adua, Mr. Segun
Adeniyi.

“Finally, Mr. el-Rufai has been described as ‘a liar’ and fetish
person by his former political patron, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who
he credits with bringing him into the Obasanjo administration.

“With such testimonials about his character from people with
initiate knowledge of his personality, Nigerians should not be
surprised about Mr. el-Rufai’s most recent assertions.”
He urged Nigerians to ignore el-Rufai, but to pray for peace,
progress and stability of the nation.

*Accuses gov of becoming bitter after losing vice
presidential bid

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the allegation
of persecution made against his administration by Kaduna State
Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, as a mere figment of his
imagination and concocted to attract cheap attention and
undeserving popularity.

Jonathan, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Reno Omokri, said
the allegation by el-Rufai that he was to be arrested in
furtherance of the second term bid of the former president was
untrue.

He said: “Nigerians may recall that Mr. el-Rufai was on a
self-imposed exile during the administration of the late great
President Umar Musa Yar’Adua.

“Mr. el-Rufai only returned to Nigeria on May 5, 2010, the very
same day that President Yar’Adua died. He returned because he
believed that under then-President Jonathan the atmosphere was more
conducive for him. This is borne out by a Wikileaks’ cable, in
which Mr. el-Rufai admitted that former President Jonathan is
‘clean and honest.’

“After this diplomatic cable was published by local and
international media on October 8, 2011, Mr. el-Rufai admitted that
he indeed made those comments.

“Exactly six days after his return, Mr. el-Rufai visited then
President Jonathan at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, on Tuesday,
May 11, 2010, and then held a press conference outside the then
president’s office, where he made unsolicited comments asking Dr.
Jonathan to contest the 2011 elections and said that he would
support him.

“After the then President named Mr. Namadi Sambo as his vice
president, two days later on May 13, 2010, Mr. el-Rufai became very
bitter and made plans to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and
began to undermine the Jonathan administration.”

The statement said despite the governor’s anti-government
activities, Jonathan declined to move against el-Rufai.

He said in keeping with the Jonathan doctrine of having no enemy
to fight, he refused to move against el-Rufai.

According to the statement, “Security reports received by the
then president indicated that Mr. el-Rufai was engaged in
provocative activities in order to instigate his own arrest,
because he felt it would boost his popularity.

“As such, he made several false and provocative comments that
were injurious to Nigeria’s peace, unity and progress, as well as
to our good relations with neighbouring nations, including that
then-President Jonathan founded and funded Boko Haram to the tune
of N50 billion to give Islam a bad name, which Mr. el-Rufai made on
September 8, 2014.

“That then President Jonathan had gone to the Republic of Chad
to plan Boko Haram attacks with the late President Deby, which he
made on November 25, 2014. And that he el-Rufai, along with [now
president] Buhari, and several other prominent Nigerians were on a
hit list of people to be shot and killed by the Jonathan
administration, which he made on January 5, 2014.”

According to the statement, Jonathan resisted the urge to order
el-Rufai’s arrest and subsequent prosecution in order not to
heighten political tension.

It said: “Mr. Nasir el-Rufai worked closely with then-President
Olusegun Obasanjo, who has described him in his book, My Watch
Volume 2, as follows: ‘Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is
almost pathological. Why does he do it? I recognised his
weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or
any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir el-Rufai.

“He barefacedly lied which he did to me against his colleagues
and so-called friends. I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged
the reputation of his uncle, a man who was like, in the African
setting, his foster father. I shuddered when I heard the story of
what he did to his half-brother in the Air Force who is senior to
him in age.’

“Malam el-Rufai was also exposed as a pathological liar on page
272 of ‘Power, Politics and Death: A Front-row Account of Nigeria
Under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua,’ written by former
THISDAY Editor and spokesman to President Yar’Adua, Mr. Segun
Adeniyi.

“Finally, Mr. el-Rufai has been described as ‘a liar’ and fetish
person by his former political patron, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who
he credits with bringing him into the Obasanjo administration.

“With such testimonials about his character from people with
initiate knowledge of his personality, Nigerians should not be
surprised about Mr. el-Rufai’s most recent assertions.”
He urged Nigerians to ignore el-Rufai, but to pray for peace,
progress and stability of the nation.