Former Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, has disclosed that he was relieved of his appointment under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration after he declined to publicly attack former Senate President Bukola Saraki during a political campaign in Kwara State.
Abdullahi, who served as Minister of Youth Development before his redeployment to the Sports Ministry, was sacked in March 2014. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former minister said his removal was rooted in political pressure that arose after Saraki defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the then newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Abdullahi, President Jonathan’s visit to Kwara for a PDP campaign coincided with Saraki’s defection, creating expectations that he would lead efforts against his former principal.
“Why was I sacked? President Jonathan was going to Kwara to campaign and that was the time Saraki left the PDP to join the APC,” he said. “I was expected as the most senior political appointee from Kwara to take over the PDP structure, fund it and lead the President’s campaign.”
He explained that the political atmosphere during the visit was hostile, with party members openly criticising Saraki, and pressure mounting on him to do the same.
“When we got to Kwara, everybody was attacking Saraki. I was expected, as the most senior political office holder, to also join in attacking Saraki and I said no. So it was a matter of principle,” Abdullahi said.
The former minister noted that his refusal placed him in a difficult position between loyalty to Saraki and his role in Jonathan’s cabinet.
“There is always a price to pay because you find yourself caught in between. You are being asked to take sides in a battle that you hardly understand most of the time,” he said.
Despite his dismissal, Abdullahi said he harbours no regrets about serving in Jonathan’s government, adding that he had anticipated the outcome after choosing not to take sides.
He recalled that he had worked closely with Saraki for years, serving as his special assistant on communications, special adviser on policy, and later as commissioner for education during Saraki’s tenure as governor of Kwara State.
Abdullahi, who currently serves as the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said his decision at the time was guided by personal conviction rather than political convenience, even though it cost him his position in the Federal Executive Council.
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