Abdulrahman A. Abdurauf
The Arewa Youth Liberation Council (AYCL) yesterday warned President Goodluck Jonathan to be wary of his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Ali Gulak, describing him as the “greatest threat” to the president’s speculated 2015 ambition.
Specifically, they said Gulak’s attack on northern leaders was causing more havoc for the president, and urged that the presidential aide be sacked before further harm is done.
The council, in a statement by its President, Ibrahim Gobir, in Abuja, noted that the attack could only attract more enemies to the president and the administration than friends.
The group said: “Gulak not only embarrassed Mr. President by attacking the persons of Governors Rabi’u Kwankwaso and Aliyu Wammako, but went full blast casting aspersions and abusing Northern elders.
“This is happening at a time when Mr. President is stretching a hand of fellowship and reaching out to all sections of the country, through their leaders and elders without taking their criticisms as personal.
“But the political adviser is doing the opposite. How can Gulak dare Northern leaders over support for Jonathan? Sycophancy at such levels destroys a leader.”
It noted that “while Mr. President is in Kano reaching out to leaders and elders of the North, Gulak is on Radio abusing people.”
“In a normal democracy, a president appoints aides to help him chart a course and explain policies to strengthen governance and administration. In our case of recent (Nigeria) some of the aides of President Goodluck Jonathan are doing exactly the opposite, in fact they are undoing the president.
“Take for example, the case of President Jonathan’s political adviser, Alhaji Ahmed Ali Gulak. “His remarks in the recent past have portrayed the Jonathan Administration in bad light and negatively because whenever Gulak opens his mouth, he attacks imaginary enemies and opponents of President Jonathan in person rather than addressing issues.”