The Presidency has debunked recent statement credited to the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki that the Goodluck Jonathan Administration decimated Boko Haram sect and paved way for the smooth conduct of the 2015 elections before the All Progressives Congress came into power.
Dasuki who is currently in detention made the remark in his Foreword to a 308-page new book titled "Boko Haram Media War: An Encounter with the Spymaster" written by Yushau Shauib.
In the book, Dasuki was quoted by Dailypost as saying “In fact, without our intervention in ensuring the defeat of Boko Haram, the electorates could not have had the opportunity to exercise their franchise. It is a fact that we provided peace and stability that afforded Nigerians, especially in the North-East in voting for their governors, legislators and others in the 2015 elections.”
Reacting to the statement, Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu described Dasuki's claim as false and explained that the activities of the sect even got bigger and more daring under the Jonathan Administration.
Shehu stated this in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Monday.
The statement reads in part “As a public relations good for the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, the author did not surprise anyone by dismissing the acclaimed successes of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the fight against Boko Haram, claiming that this government simply took the glory for the achievements of the previous government in the war against terrorism.”
“The truth, as a matter of fact, is that the monster of terrorism got bigger and more daring due to the incompetence and misgovernance of the last administration and no amount lies and fiction can change that,” he stated.
The statement added that “despite Mr. Dasuki’s attempt to rewrite history, Nigerians could not have forgotten the embarrassing stories of failed weapons that plagued our country’s military during the previous administration, when unserviceable weapons, expired ammunition and fake armored vehicles caused untold grief to our valiant armed forces on the battlefield, with arms exploding willy nilly and guns failing to fire.
“It is for trespasses like these that the Buhari administration is determined to get to the bottom of the $2.1 billion arms procurement scandal and ensure that no single one of the culprits go scot free.”
Shehu further explained that contrary to claims in the book that the Jonathan's administration cleared Boko Haram and paved way for the conduct of elections, “the residents of areas such as Gwoza, Banki, Kukawa, Monguno, Bulumba, Baga, Gamboru Ngala, Dikwa, Mafa, etc., were able to vote, not in their hometowns but in refugee camps in other parts of Borno State, under special arrangements made by INEC.”
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