Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has debunked media reports alleging that he accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of being nominated by Boko Haram for peace talks, describing the reports as “misleading and false.”
In a statement released on Saturday, October 4, 2025, by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan said his comments during a recent conversation about Nigeria’s security situation were distorted by some media outlets.
“The attention of the Office of Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been drawn to misleading reports suggesting that Dr. Jonathan alleged that Boko Haram nominated the late President Muhammadu Buhari to represent them in dialogue with the Federal Government,” the statement read.
Eze emphasized that Jonathan never implied that Buhari had any relationship with Boko Haram or supported the group. “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,” he stated.
Clarifying the context of Jonathan’s comments, Eze explained that the former president was referring to the manipulative tactics used by Boko Haram in its early days when the group allegedly used the names of respected Nigerians without their consent.
“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 statement added.
Jonathan, according to Eze, was illustrating how Boko Haram often used deceit to divide the country and undermine public confidence. “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,” he said.
He further noted that Jonathan questioned why the terrorist group did not end its violence when Buhari became president if they truly considered him a negotiator. “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?” Eze quoted Jonathan as saying.
Reaffirming Jonathan’s respect for Buhari, the statement described both men as patriots committed to Nigeria’s unity and stability. “Dr. Jonathan recognizes that President Muhammadu Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence,” Eze said.
The office urged Nigerians to ignore any misinterpretation of Jonathan’s remarks, stressing that he remains committed to peace and democratic values. “Dr. Jonathan remains committed to peace, unity, and the strengthening of democratic values in Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
He maintained that the country’s progress relies on “a truthful understanding of its challenges, not on the distortion of facts for political or sensational purposes.”