Socio-political activist Aisha Yesufu has pointed fingers at former presidential media aide Reuben Abati, claiming he was a significant factor in former President Goodluck Jonathan's defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
Abati served as Special Adviser on media to Jonathan between 2011 and 2015, during which time the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost power to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a post on her official X handle on Friday, Yesufu expressed surprise at people's reactions to Abati's recent statements, suggesting his current behavior follows a pattern established during his time in government.
"It is people that didn't know Reuben Abati during Jonathan that are surprised when he does or says certain things!" Yesufu wrote. "If you count people that led to former president Jonathan losing the 2015 election, Reuben Abati is amongst the first to be counted."
The activist further compared Abati's approach to that of another presidential spokesperson, stating: "You think Femi Adesina was obnoxious? You didn't meet Reuben Abati in action."
This criticism comes amid ongoing discussions about the roles played by various political actors in the 2015 election, which marked the first time in Nigeria's democratic history that an incumbent president was defeated at the polls.
Neither Jonathan nor Abati has publicly responded to Yesufu's allegations at the time of this report.
The 2015 election remains a significant turning point in Nigeria's political landscape, with various analyses continuing to examine factors that contributed to the PDP's loss after 16 years in power.
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