Why I Was Sacked as Sports Minister by Ex-President Jonathan — ADC Spokesperson

Former Minister of Sports and Youth Growth, Bolaji Abdullahi, has defined that his dismissal from workplace in March 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan was linked to his refusal to publicly criticise former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Abdullahi mentioned he was faraway from workplace throughout heightened political rigidity in Kwara State following Saraki’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Get together (PDP) to the then newly shaped All Progressives Congress (APC).

Talking in an interview on Wednesday, Abdullahi, who at the moment serves because the Nationwide Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), mentioned he discovered himself in a troublesome place, caught between loyalty to his political mentor and expectations from the Presidency.

“There may be at all times a value to pay as a result of you end up caught in between. You aren’t being requested to take sides in a battle that you simply hardly perceive more often than not,” he mentioned.

He defined that forward of President Jonathan’s marketing campaign go to to Kwara State, he was anticipated, as probably the most senior political appointee from the state, to take over the PDP construction, fund celebration actions and lead the marketing campaign in opposition to Saraki.

“Why was I sacked? President Jonathan was going to Kwara to marketing campaign and that was the time Saraki left the PDP to hitch the APC,” Abdullahi mentioned.

“I used to be anticipated as probably the most senior political appointee from Kwara to take over the PDP construction, fund it and lead the President’s marketing campaign,” he added.

In keeping with him, the political environment within the state was dominated by sustained assaults on Saraki, with intense strain on him to take part.

“Once we received to Kwara, all people was attacking Saraki. I used to be anticipated as probably the most senior political workplace holder to additionally be a part of and assault Saraki and I mentioned no. So it was a matter of precept,” he mentioned.

Regardless of dropping his place, Abdullahi mentioned he had no regrets about serving within the Jonathan administration, noting that he had anticipated the results of his determination.

He additionally recalled that he beforehand served below Saraki as Particular Assistant on Communications, Particular Adviser on Coverage, and Commissioner for Schooling in Kwara State throughout Saraki’s tenure as governor.