Chairman of Thisday Editorial Board, Olusegun Adeniyi, in his new book, “Against the run of play”, stated that embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki (rtd), supported President Muhammadu Buhari in the build-up to the 2011 general election.
Adeniyi noted that “one of those who worked tirelessly to make the 2011 alliance between Tinubu and Buhari work was Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), who would later become the National Security Adviser to Jonathan.”
He added that Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, during the period, expressed the belief that following the collapse of the merger talks ahead 2011 polls, both Tinubu and Ribadu worked for Jonathan.
“Tinubu of course gave the votes from Lagos and a few other SouthWest states, except Osun, to Jonathan, while the calculation of Ribadu was to reduce Buhari’s votes in the north even though he failed on that score.”
It can be recalled that Dasuki in 2015 disclosed how he supported Buhari’s presidential aspiration in 2003, 2007 and 2011.
Dasuki said he knelt down in 2011 for the former National Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande, to make Buhari a joint candidate of the ACN and the defunct Congress of Peoples Congress (CPC).
The ex-NSA urged Nigerians to verify from prominent Northerners, such as Adamu Adamu, Bashir Kurfi, Wada Maida, Sule Hamman and Kabir Yusuf, among others.
He also cleared the air on his involvement in the 1985 coup that led to the ouster of Buhari, then a military Head of State.
“General Buhari should know who he should blame,” he said in the interview.
Dasuki disclosed how he and two military officers, travelled to Jos to brief Major General Buhari, then the GOC of 3rd Armoured Division, on the furtherance of the planning of the 1983 coup, which made Buhari the major beneficiary of the ouster of the elected President Shehu Shagari.
He recalled that Buhari, in one of their interactions, expressed his bitterness about insinuations on his stewardship in one of the public institutions.
Dasuki noted that he assured Buhari not to worry about such reckless and mischievous insinuations.
Speaking on his participation in the coup, Dasuki insisted Buhari cannot say he is not aware of the man behind the act.
On his alleged maltreatment of Buhari after the coup, he responded: “I always respect and dignify my seniors and those in positions of authority whether in service or after.
“Though a young officer, I was reluctant to be among those that arrested him. I was not. I only met him afterward at Bonny Camp with Lawal Rafindadi.
”There is no way I could have maltreated him as being alleged in some quarters. I am glad most of the actors are still alive.”