The media office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has refuted false reports saying that he vowed to prioritise the interests of the Yoruba ethnic group if elected president in 2027. Recall that various online platforms recently attributed the statement to one Kola Johnson, described him as Atiku’s “media consultant.”
Reacting recently, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, revealed that the former presidential candidate never engaged Kola in any capacity, stating that the reports were “fabricated and misleading.”
He accused the Federal Government of desperately trying to ruin the reputation of opposition leaders, stressing that the presidency is going as far as paying faceless mercenaries to spread falsehood.
“Our findings point directly to the Presidency, which in its desperation to smear opposition leaders, has resorted to hiring faceless mercenaries to fabricate fake stories and circulate unauthorized statements on Atiku,” Ibe said.
According to him, Nigerians should be more vigilant against propaganda and misinformation because the current government keeps sponsoring fabricated narratives to undermine opposition figures.
He concluded by urging journalists who have published the false news to retract it as soon as possible.
“Atiku Abubakar has never engaged one Kola Johnson as a media consultant, aide, or associate. Any statement issued in that name is fake and should be disregarded. We urge media houses that have published such falsehoods to immediately retract them,” he added.
