Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Bolaji Abdullahi, has explained that his dismissal from office in March 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan was linked to his refusal to publicly criticise former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Abdullahi said he was removed from office during heightened political tension in Kwara State following Saraki’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the then newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Abdullahi, who currently serves as the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said he found himself in a difficult position, caught between loyalty to his political mentor and expectations from the Presidency.

“There is always a price to pay because you find yourself caught in between. You are not being asked to take sides in a battle that you hardly understand most of the time,” he said.

He explained that ahead of President Jonathan’s campaign visit to Kwara State, he was expected, as the most senior political appointee from the state, to take over the PDP structure, fund party activities and lead the campaign against Saraki.

“Why was I sacked? President Jonathan was going to Kwara to campaign and that was the time Saraki left the PDP to join the APC,” Abdullahi said.

“I was expected as the most senior political appointee from Kwara to take over the PDP structure, fund it and lead the President’s campaign,” he added.

According to him, the political atmosphere in the state was dominated by sustained attacks on Saraki, with intense pressure on him to participate.

“When we got to Kwara, everybody was attacking Saraki. I was expected as the most senior political office holder to also join and attack Saraki and I said no. So it was a matter of principle,” he said.

Despite losing his position, Abdullahi said he had no regrets about serving in the Jonathan administration, noting that he had anticipated the consequences of his decision.

He also recalled that he previously served under Saraki as Special Assistant on Communications, Special Adviser on Policy, and Commissioner for Education in Kwara State during Saraki’s tenure as governor.