Prominent socio-political activist Aisha Yesufu has reignited conversations around the 2015 Nigerian presidential election, pointing fingers at former presidential aide Dr. Reuben Abati as one of the key figures responsible for Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat.
In a post shared via her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, Aisha Yesufu did not hold back in her criticism of Abati, who served as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Jonathan from 2011 to 2015.
She wrote:
“It is people that didn’t know Reuben Abati @abati1990 during Jonathan that are surprised when he does or says certain things!
If you count people that led to former president Jonathan losing the 2015 election, Reuben Abati is amongst the first to be counted.
You think Femi Adesina was obnoxious? You didn’t meet Reuben Abati in action.”
Jonathan, who ran under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lost the 2015 election to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a historic vote that marked Nigeria’s first peaceful transfer of power to the opposition.
While Abati has remained a prominent voice in the media since leaving office, anchoring shows on Arise News and contributing to political discourse, Yesufu’s comments appear to challenge his legacy and role within the former administration.
The post has stirred mixed reactions on social media, with many users either defending Abati’s contributions or agreeing with Aisha’s critical assessment of the Jonathan-era communication strategy.
