Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says he was removed from office as a minister under Goodluck Jonathan because he refused to attack Bukola Saraki during a campaign in Kwara.
Abdullahi spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the public presentation of his book, ‘The Loyalist: A Memoir of Service and Sacrifice’.
The ADC spokesperson served as minister of youth development and later minister of sports before he was relieved of his appointment in March 2014.
He recalled that his political journey in Kwara began under Saraki when he worked as his aide and later served as commissioner for education.
Abdullahi said he began writing the memoir in 2019 to explain how his relationships with key figures evolved around his loyalty to Saraki.
He added that the book was initially titled ‘In the Shadow of the Godfather’.
The former minister said the tension started after Saraki left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).
He explained that although he remained in Jonathan’s cabinet, he was pressured to publicly turn against Saraki.
Abdullahi said the situation came to a head when Jonathan visited Kwara in March 2014 for a political event.
He noted that as the most senior PDP official in the state, he was expected to lead the president’s campaign.
“Dr Saraki had just left PDP at the time to join APC, but I was still serving in President Jonathan’s cabinet,” Abdullahi said.
“At that point, Dr. Saraki’s departure to APC automatically pushed me up as the highest-ranking political office holder in the state.”
He recalled that speakers at the rally, including governors, used the podium to attack Saraki.
“So, I got to Kwara, and every single person that climbed the stage made it their duty to attack and abuse Dr Saraki and say all kinds of things about him,” he said.
“As the minister from Kwara, I was supposed to lead the campaign, so I was expected to climb the stage and also join the attack. I didn’t do it.”
He claimed that some governors pushed for his dismissal, accusing him of being disloyal to Jonathan.
“He was pushing for me to be fired. That how would a minister not lead the campaign of his boss? He’s definitely an APC mole in the government,” Abdullahi said.
He said Liyel Imoke, former governor of Cross River State, tried to intervene by warning that firing him before the World Cup could affect Nigeria’s performance.
“Governor Liyel, I remember, went to Dr Jonathan, the president, and said, ‘the World Cup is coming. If we fire Bolaji now, we are going to do badly’,” he said.
Abdullahi recalled another governor responding, “‘Na him go play the ball, we can fire him’.”
He insisted that his refusal was based on principle and gratitude.
“If Dr Saraki had asked me to go and start attacking President Jonathan, I would have told him I wouldn’t do it,” he said.
“So, in the same way, I will not go and attack Dr Saraki. Dr. Saraki has been my benefactor. He has not offended me.
“I will not be enrolled in a fight that is not mine. But I knew I was going to lose my job.”
The former minister said he later travelled to London for an official engagement when he began receiving messages suggesting he had been sacked.
Saraki left the PDP in January 2014 following disagreements with Jonathan’s administration.