Some former ministers in the government of ex-
President Goodluck Jonathan are allegedly weighing
the options to use in stopping the release of ‘On a
Platter of Gold’, a book written by Bolaji Abdullahi,
spokesman of the ruling All Progressives Congress
(APC).
TheCable understands that the ex-ministers are
worried that the author might use the book as an
avenue to hit back at Jonathan for relieving him of his
duties as minister of sport.
Jonathan sacked Abdullahi in 2014 allegedly because
of his relationship with Bukola Saraki who joined some
influential personalities to defect from the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).
Abdullahi has described his book as an exclusive
account of the “making and the unmaking” of
Jonathan’s government.
In a statement issued earlier in the month, he
announced that the book, which gives revelations of
the intrigues that surrounded the 2015 presidential
election and its aftermath, would be out in October.
“The book, which has the subtitle, ‘How Jonathan Won
and Lost Nigeria’, is introduced as follows,” he had
said.
“Was Goodluck Jonathan weak and clueless, as his
traducers have claimed? Or – as his supporters have
alleged – was he just a victim of vicious conspiracies
by an entitled cabal that would stop at nothing to
bring down this ‘intruder’ to power?”
Led by Taminu Turaki, former minister of special duties
and Abubakar Sulaiman, former minister of national
planning, Jonathan’s loyalists are said to be working
on strategies to use in achieving their goal.
A source told TheCable that after a series of meetings
in the federal capital territory (FCT), the former cabinet
members are now thinking of either getting a court
injunction to stop the publication or write another book
to counter Abdullahi.
“The ex-ministers are so angry about the book written
by their former colleague and they are determined to
stop him at all cost,” the source said.
“Their main source of concern is the manner in which
Abdullahi left that government. They are thinking that
he would write uncomplimentary things about
Jonathan since he was sacked. The options before
them now is to either use the court to stop the
circulation of the book or to write another book which
would contain an entirely different account from that of
Abdullahi.”
Ikechukwu Eze, spokesman of the ex-president,
described the allegation of stopping Abdullahi as
strange.
“Is it possible for former ministers to stop a book
written by the spokesman of a ruling party?” he asked
while responding to inquiries by TheCable.
“It doesn’t make sense for a former minister to stop
such book. I mean I see no reason why anyone will
stop the book. There have been many things written
about the administration of Jonathan and no one
stopped them. In any case, I am not aware of such a
plot.”
While Turaki could not be reached for comment, as he
neither answered his phone nor responded to a text
message sent, calls put through to Sulaiman’s
telephone line did not connect.
TheCable
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