Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan nearly relieved him of his duties as Minister of Sports following the unexpected resignation of late Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi after Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory.
Abdullahi made the disclosure in his newly released book, The Loyalist, where he narrated the political tension and confusion that followed Nigeria’s historic triumph in South Africa.
In a chapter titled Winner Stands Alone, the former minister recalled that Keshi’s sudden resignation—announced just minutes after the Super Eagles clinched the trophy—sparked rumours within political circles that he had orchestrated the move to undermine the president.
According to Abdullahi, he was on his way to the airport in Johannesburg, basking in the afterglow of the victory, when his driver mentioned that Keshi had resigned. Initially dismissing the claim as false, he was later stunned when a radio broadcast confirmed the development.
The resignation, Abdullahi said, immediately triggered accusations that he was acting on the political interests of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, with claims that he planned to sack Keshi and replace him with a foreign coach.
He recalled receiving calls from associates in Nigeria, including Waziri Adio, who questioned him about reports linking him to a plan to hire former Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.
The situation escalated when then-Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, contacted him to explain that President Jonathan had been briefed that Abdullahi deliberately engineered Keshi’s exit to create a crisis that would deny the president full credit for the AFCON victory.
Alarmed by the developments, Abdullahi sought the help of sports marketer Mike Itemuagbor, urging him to disembark from a flight and meet urgently in Johannesburg. The late-night meeting included Keshi and team captain Joseph Yobo.
During the encounter, Abdullahi confronted Keshi, who admitted resigning after hearing rumours that the Sports Ministry and the Nigeria Football Federation no longer trusted him. Keshi claimed officials had already booked return flights to Abuja before a crucial match against Côte d’Ivoire, suggesting a lack of confidence in the team.
Abdullahi expressed disappointment that Keshi acted on unverified information, stressing the confusion and political damage the resignation had caused. Eventually, after intense discussions, Keshi agreed to withdraw his resignation despite concerns about public perception.
The former minister said the decision ultimately saved his job. According to him, Oduah later revealed that the president had been prepared to sack him the following morning, but reversed the decision after advisers warned that his removal could overshadow Nigeria’s AFCON success.
Reflecting on the incident, Abdullahi described the experience as a painful lesson in political mistrust, noting that he was never given an opportunity to defend himself before the decision to remove him was considered.
