Former presidential spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Reuben Abati, say the ex-President is under pressure from local and international media to grant interviews.
Since he left power on May 29 after losing the March 28 presidential election, Jonathan has hardly made any public comments apart from asking Nigerians to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari over the Boko Haram attacks in a post on facebook.
Abati wrote: “[There are requests from] those who want interviews with President Jonathan, both local and international – they want his reaction on every development, so many of them from every part of the planet. But he is resting and he has asked me to say he is not ready yet to say anything.”
Some of the issues that have been in the public sphere since Jonathan’s exit are the debt overhang, which is estimated in N7 trillion by the Joda committee, alleged oil theft by ministers estimated at one million barrels per day by Buhari, and unauthorised withdrawals from the excess crude account which Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo state, said were used to fund Jonathan’s campaign.
Many of the appointments made by Jonathan have also been upturned by Buhari.
However, Boko Haram has re-launched attacks and killed about 500 persons since Jonathan’s exit, a development that might have drawn the attention of the international media.
Buhari also recently went to the US and openly complained that the American government refusal to sell arms to Nigeria because of reported human rights abuses was affecting the war against Boko Haram — a position that Jonathan would feel has justified his own claims all along.
Abati also recounted his own days in government and the pressures he came under from the public; “As spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan, my phones rang endlessly and became more than personal navigators within the social space. They defined my entire life; dusk to dawn, all year-round. The phones buzzed non-stop, my email was permanently active; my twitter account received tons of messages per second. The worst moments were those days when there was a Boko Haram attack virtually every Sunday”.
“The intrusion into my private life was total as my wife complained about her sleep being disrupted by phones that never seemed to stop ringing. Besides, whenever I was not checking or responding to the phones, I was busy online trying to find out if the APC had said something contrarian or some other fellow was up to any mischief. A media manager in the 21st century is a slave of the Breaking News, a slave particularly of the 24-hour news cycle, and a potential nervous breakdown case. Debo Adesina, my colleague at The Guardian once said I was running a “one week, one trouble schedule”.
“SA Media, where are you? We have been trying to reach you. Mr President wants to speak with you” “Sorry, I was charging my phone. The phone was off.” “Sir, you can’t switch off your phone now. Mr President must be able to reach you at any time. You must always be available.” I was like: “really? Which kin job be dis?” The Control Room eventually collected all my phone numbers. If I did not pick up a call on time, they called my wife. Sometimes the calls came directly from the Residence, as we referred to the President’s official quarters. “Abati, Oga dey call you!” If I still could not be reached, every phone that was ever connected to me would ring non-stop. Busy bodies who had just picked up the information that Abati was needed also often took it upon themselves to track me down. My wife soon got used to her being asked to produce me, or a car showing up to take me straight to the Residence. I eventually got used to it, and learnt to remain on duty round-the-clock.
However, today, the phones remain loudly silent, with the exception of calls from those friends who are not gloating, who have been offering words of commendation and support. They include childhood friends, former colleagues, elderly associates, fans, and family members. And those who want interviews with President Jonathan, both local and international – they want his reaction on every development, so many of them from every part of the planet. But he is resting and he has asked me to say he is not ready yet to say anything. It is truly, a different moment, and indeed, “no condition is permanent.” The ones who won’t give up with the stream of phone calls and text messages are those who keep pestering me with requests for financial assistance. I am made to understand that there is something called “special handshake” and that everyone who goes into government is supposed to exit with carton loads of cash. I am in no position to assist such people, because no explanation will make sense to them. Here I am, at the crossroads; I am glad to be here.
