“Nigeria Was a Disaster Under Jonathan” – Aisha Yesufu

Aisha Yesufu, co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, has strongly criticized the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, stating that his tenure was disastrous for Nigeria. Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time, Yesufu rejected claims that the movement was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to undermine Jonathan’s government.

Yesufu clarified that the Bring Back Our Girls movement was neither a non-governmental organization (NGO) nor a civil society organization but rather a collective effort of concerned citizens outraged by the abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls in 2014. She insisted that the movement was entirely self-funded and received no external financial support.

She also dismissed allegations that the campaign was politically motivated to remove Jonathan from office. According to Yesufu, the movement maintained a strictly apolitical stance, and discussions at the Unity Fountain, where they gathered, were devoid of political talk. However, she personally admitted to advocating for Jonathan’s removal due to what she described as his incompetence, corruption, and failure to address security concerns, including the slaughter of Buni Yadi schoolboys before the Chibok abduction.

Reflecting on the Jonathan administration’s handling of the Chibok abduction, Yesufu criticized the president’s delayed response, noting that he remained silent for 19 days. She also accused his government of using state resources to suppress the movement, including sending thugs to disrupt their protests and deploying teargas against them. She emphasized that Jonathan’s failure to act swiftly to rescue the kidnapped girls was indicative of a lack of empathy and leadership.

Yesufu further criticized Jonathan’s administration for borrowing money to pay salaries and service debts, while corruption was rampant. She pointed out that military personnel fled from Boko Haram insurgents and sought refuge in Cameroon, a situation she described as disgraceful. She dismissed attempts to compare Jonathan to his successors, arguing that the worsening state of affairs under President Muhammadu Buhari and current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not absolve Jonathan of his failures.

She recounted an instance from her youth service when she returned an overpayment to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), using it as an example of her commitment to integrity. Yesufu reiterated that the Bring Back Our Girls movement remained dedicated to advocating for the return of the kidnapped girls, with some already rescued, and that no amount of false accusations would erase the struggle they endured.

Concluding her remarks, she criticized Nigerians who now view Jonathan more favorably due to the failures of subsequent administrations. She argued that instead of justifying past failures by comparing them to current ones, Nigerians should demand better governance and accountability from their leaders.