BAT ISN’T GEJ EVEN IF YOU DRESS MONKEY IN SUIT OR PIG IN AGBADA IT’LL STILL REMAIN MONKEY OR PIG—IBE

April 15, 2026 • Dons Eze • 2 min read

‎In a recent statement via his official X account, Paul Ibe, spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has compared the personality of President Bola Tinubu and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

‎”You are damn right, @OgbeniDipo, BAT is not GEJ and vice versa! Even if you dress a monkey in a 3-piece suit, or a pig in a 3-piece agbada, it will still remain a monkey, or a pig. GEJ was born 20 November, 1957 (68) in Ogbia, Bayelsa State. His parents were Eunice Jonathan and Lawrence Jonathan while his siblings are Meni Jonathan and Nancy Jonathan-Olei. He is not a drug lord, has not forfeited any money linked to narcotics to the US and there’s no controversy about his background, parentage and schools he attended. He attended UNIPORT, where he bagged a PhD, and is from Otuoke in Bayelsa State. In fact, he is a classmate to my elder cousin. Tinubu is truly not (and can never be) Jonathan. QED,”
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‎In his post, Ibe was reacting to statements by public affairs analyst Dipo Awoyide, who had argued that Tinubu and Jonathan should not be viewed in the same light, Ibe supported that position, insisting that the two leaders have different personal histories and public records.

‎He went further to defend Jonathan’s background, highlighting his upbringing and academic journey, Ibe noted that the former president rose through the ranks without controversies surrounding his identity or education and described Jonathan as someone whose personal history is widely known and documented.

‎The Atiku spokesman contrasted this with his criticism of President Tinubu, suggesting that the current administration does not reflect the same standards and argued that leadership should be built on transparency and credibility, adding that Nigerians deserve clarity about those in power.

‎Ibe stressed that citizens must remain engaged in political discussions and hold leaders responsible for their actions, according to him, open debate is essential for a healthy democracy.

‎He noted that comparisons between past and present leaders are necessary, especially as the country approaches another election cycle.

Dons Eze

DONS EZE, PhD, Political Philosopher and Journalist of over four decades standing, worked in several newspaper houses across the country, and rose to the positions of Editor and General Manager. A UNESCO Fellow in Journalism, Dr. Dons Eze, a prolific writer and author of many books, attended several courses on Journalism and Communication in both Nigeria and overseas, including a Postgraduate Course on Journalism at Warsaw, Poland; Strategic Communication and Practical Communication Approach at RIPA International, London, the United Kingdom, among others.