How El-Rufai Undermined Ex-President Jonathan Over Personal Ambition - Omokri

Reno Omokri

Reno Omokri, a former Presidential aide, has revealed that Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, does not like former President Goodluck Jonathan because he didn't pick him as Vice President.

Omokri made the revelation in reaction to El-Rufai’s claim that Jonathan wanted to jail him.

According to Omokri, the Kaduna State governor was on a self-imposed exile during the administration of Umar Yar’adua and returned to Nigeria on May 5, 2010, the day the ex-President died.

He said El-Rufai returned due to his belief that the atmosphere was more conducive for him under Jonathan.

Omokri said six days after, El-Rufai visited Jonathan at the State House and held a press conference where he made “unsolicited comments” asking Jonathan to contest the 2011 election and assured him he would support.

“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.

“In keeping with the Jonathan Doctrine, wherein Dr. Jonathan said “I have no enemies to fight, because of my confidence that people can only do to me what God permits”, the then President refused to move against Mr. El-Rufai.”

Omokri said security reports received by Jonathan indicated that El-Rufai was engaged in provocative activities in order to instigate his own arrest to boost his popularity.

He also said the governor made several inciting comments that were injurious to Nigeria’s peace, unity and progress.

He recalled that on September 8, 2014, El-Rufai claimed Jonathan founded and funded Boko Haram to the tune of N50 billion to give Islam a bad name.

According to him, on November 25, 2014, El-Rufai told the world that Jonathan travelled to Chad to plan Boko Haram attacks with late President Idriss Deby.

Omokri further mentioned the January 5, 2014 allegation by El-Rufai where the governor said prominent Nigerians like himself, President Buhari and others were on a list of people to be killed by the Jonathan administration.

Noting that the spurious and defamatory statements could have led to his arrest and prosecution, Jonathan took a statesmanly position to ignore them, in order not to heighten the political tension in the country.