Reuben Abati: Why I don’t regret working with Goodluck Jonathan

Contrary to public sentiments that members of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet enjoyed working with him because of his alleged leniency towards corrupt people, his then media adviser, Mr. Reuben Abati, has said that he had no regrets working with Jonathan, because of the many lessons and quality exposure that he received under him.

Abati said this on Sunday night while fielding questions from the media on life in the Presidential Villa.

He described working under the former President as going to the ‘University of Life,’ saying that even those who were his critics would have had something to learn if they got into arena of state power at that time.

The former presidential spokesman said that in spite of the allegation that he received N50 million from ex-National Security Adviser, Dasuki Sambo, and his alleged promise to return N5 million out of the sum to the government, he still thinks his integrity and name are intact.

He said: “I do not regret working with the former President. If you worked with his government, it is a different kind of exposure. It is like going to the university. If you like, you can call it the University of Life.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to serve at that highest level in Nigeria and for the many lessons and quality exposure that I received.

“If you are on the other side, it is very easy to talk; it is very easy to analyze and criticize. But if you get into government, you will begin to gain knowledge of how government works. Many of the people out there who comment on government affairs, when they get into the arena they get to learn a lot.

“I think my integrity and name was intact when I left the villa. I don’t have any challenge in that regard. I think I did a good job.”