On Thursday, October 13, Nigerians received great news that 21 Chibok girls were released by the Boko Haram insurgents.

More than 200 girls were kidnapped from their schools in Chibok, Borno state in April 2014. Some managed to escape, some have been reported dead while others are still in captivity. The news of the release of 21 of the girls got so many Nigerians praising the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Many have been reacting to the good news.

However, the former president Goodluck Jonathan is yet to issue any statement on the release of the girls. Recall that the girls were kidnapped during his administration and all efforts to rescue them from their abductors proved abortive.

Here are seven reasons why Jonathan may have decided to stay silent on the 21 Chibok girls release.

1. Shame


Goodluck Jonathan and parents of the Chibok girls
The former president may be ashamed that what he could not achieve during his tenure, his successor has achieved. During his tenure, he could not bring back the girls, despite all the efforts made. President Muhammdu Buhari even used the Chibok girls to campaign, which may be why some people voted for him. Jonathan’s inability to conquer Boko Haram and rescue the abducted girls may be one of the reasons he lost the 2015 presidential election.


2. He may be accepting that he was clueless


When Chibok parents cried endlessly for their missing daughters During Jonathan’s administration, he was given all sorts of names. Many called him a clueless president who did not know how to combat Boko Haram insurgency and rescue the kidnapped Chibok girls. Till he left office, no headway was made in reuniting the girls with their family.

Congratulating his successor on the release of some of the girls may be interpreted as him accepting that he was clueless on how to rescue the Chibok girls.


3. He may be exposing himself as a weak leader


Many still adore the former president and see him as a hero for conceding defeat after losing the March 28 presidential election. If he speaks about the release of the 21 Chibok girls, some might see it as him accepting that he was a weak leader which was one of the reasons some people voted him out.



4. Maybe he is waiting for his party, the PDP to say something


The opposition is always quick to criticize Buhari’s administration. It’s more than 24 hours since news of the girls rescue surfaced and the party has kept mute. It is yet to release a statement which is quite unusual.


5. Maybe he believes it’s a hoax

Jonathan with Buhari at the State House in Abuja
When the girls were kidnapped, Jonathan who was president at the time, played down the incident. The former president had doubts. Some of his close associates may have told him that it was a plot by his political enemies who don’t want him to return as president. So, the abduction story was dismissed initially until it started gaining recognition with the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. It was when it sparked global outrage that Jonathan’s administration started to show interest.

Some people believe the release of the 21 Chibok girls is just another lie by the Buhari-led federal government. One of such people is Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state who described the report as, “Propaganda, cheap lies and diversionary tactics”.

Just like Fayose, maybe Jonathan also believes it’s one of the lies of the present administration.


6. He may be accepting that he did not empower the military


When the APC took over from the Peoples Democratic Party, it first accused Jonathan of not buying weapons for the military to fight the insurgents. Later, the party accused him of buying substandard weapons. This sparked controversy as many did not know what to believe, whether he did not buy weapons or he bought, but substandard ones.

Since Buhari took over power, Boko Haram activities have reduced. Nigerian troops have been winning the war which may be one of the reasons why the insurgents decided to let go some of the girls.

If Jonathan commends Buhari’s administration for the girls’ release, some may interpret it as him accepting that he did not provide equipment and supplies for the military to fight the insurgents which was why they could not rescue the girls.


7. Maybe he is out of town and has not heard the good news


Could it be that the former president is out of town and has no network where he is? Maybe he has not heard that 21 of the Chibok girls has been rescued. Just maybe…

If you were Jonathan, how would you react to the 21 Chibok girls rescue?

zico530:
You and your sponsors are more clueless

zico530:
Op, you, your headman and your sponsors are more clueless. Please, listen to oga's advice and go to the other room.

mekaboy:
Don't be silly op. Bokoharam and PMB share the same religion. PMB said an attack on Bokoharam is an attack on the north. Bokoharam Named PMB as a negotiator under Gej, why will u be supriesed if the Chibok girls are released under PMB?

FriendChoice:
God will punished the wicked that sponsored Boko Haram. Dasuki and His oga Jonathan just to remain in power. You sponsored terrorist and allow them to kill more than 20,000 Nigerians with 95% being Muslims. Also about Two million are displayed just because of you. May anybody that defend this act of sponsored genocide be a victim.

FriendChoice:


Is Jonathan not the president? We don't care what others say. This girls are abducted during his tenure and through out his regime he could not decimate Boko Haram neither he brought back the chibok girls.

What you post is not and can never be an excuse for his failure to rescue them. What stop Jonathan from tackling insurgency is corruption not opposition.

FriendChoice:
God will punished the wicked that sponsored Boko Haram. Dasuki and His oga Jonathan just to remain in power. You sponsored terrorist and allow them to kill more than 20,000 Nigerians with 95% being Muslims. Also about Two million are displayed just because of you. May anybody that defend this act of sponsored genocide be a victim.

FriendChoice:


Is Jonathan not the president? We don't care what others say. These girls were abducted during his tenure and through out his regime he could not decimate Boko Haram neither he brought back the chibok girls.

What you post is not and can never be an excuse for his failure to rescue them. What stop Jonathan from tackling insurgency is corruption not opposition.

MrKrap:
has buari rescured d ova a hundred of bam girls kidnapped by boko arams in november last year

FriendChoice:


Is Jonathan not the president? We don't care what others say. These girls were abducted during his tenure and through out his regime he could not decimate Boko Haram neither he brought back the chibok girls.

What you post is not and can never be an excuse for his failure to rescue them. What stop Jonathan from tackling insurgency is corruption not opposition.

dunkem21:
Una go wait tire .. The same way they said he is sponsoring NDA and that's why he didn't comment.

Silence is golden

FriendChoice:
[s]

Buhari has rescued 22 and willing to rescue more

How many Dasuki and Jonathan rescued?

On whose tenure were they abducted?

Whose carelessness in tackling Boko Haram leads to the abduction?[/s]

blueto:
Buhari has release top boko haram commanders and willing to release more.

What about the rampaging fulani herdsmen “from Libya??