Garba Shehu To Jonathan: You Lied, Boko Haram Did Not Nominate Buhari As Mediator

-FULL COVERAGE-

Garba Shehu to Jonathan: You Lied, Boko Haram Did Not Nominate Buhari As Mediator - Full Coverage

In a fiery rebuttal to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent claims, Garba Shehu, the former media aide to late President Muhammadu Buhari, has categorically denied that Boko Haram ever nominated Buhari to mediate in peace talks with the Nigerian government.

The controversy erupted following Jonathan’s remarks at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), where he alleged that the insurgent group had once named Buhari as a preferred negotiator during his administration’s efforts to initiate dialogue.

Shehu responded with a strongly worded statement, accusing Jonathan of distorting history for political gain ahead of a possible 2027 presidential bid. He declared that Buhari was never nominated by Boko Haram and, in fact, was one of the group’s primary targets.

Shehu referenced the 2014 bomb attack in Kaduna, which nearly claimed Buhari’s life and injured members of his entourage, as evidence of the group’s hostility toward the former president. He emphasized that Boko Haram’s late leader, Abubakar Shekau, routinely denounced and threatened Buhari, underscoring the ideological chasm between them.

The origins of the claim, according to Shehu, trace back to a 2012 press conference in Maiduguri where a Boko Haram faction led by Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz allegedly named Buhari and other northern elders as acceptable mediators.

However, Shekau swiftly disowned Abdulaziz’s statement, asserting that he had no mandate to speak on behalf of the group. At the time, Buhari himself denied any knowledge of the nomination. Engr. Buba Galadima, then National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), confirmed that Buhari had not been contacted and considered the reports speculative. Buhari maintained his stance as a patriotic Nigerian committed to praying for peace and stability.

Shehu also recalled how the CPC’s late publicity secretary, Rotimi Fashekun, accused Jonathan’s administration of exploiting the alleged nomination for political advantage. Fashekun described it as a diversionary tactic by a corrupt government seeking to distract the public from widespread looting.

Shehu went further to allege that Jonathan’s government had exacerbated insecurity, citing revelations that Boko Haram elements had infiltrated the administration. He categorized the insurgents into three groups: the original faction aggrieved by the killing of their leader Mohammed Yusuf, a criminal wing driven by financial motives, and a “Political Boko Haram,” which he claimed was embodied by the PDP-led government.

In conclusion, Shehu warned Jonathan against using what he termed “false narratives” to curry favor with the electorate. He urged the former president to seek a more credible story if he intends to run for office in 2027, asserting that Buhari never represented Boko Haram and was instead a victim of their violence. 

The statement has reignited debates about the politicization of Nigeria’s security challenges and the legacy of both leaders in the fight against terrorism.