The media office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed as false reports claiming he promised to prioritise the interests of the Yoruba ethnic group if elected president in 2027.
Several online platforms on Wednesday had attributed the statement to one Kola Johnson, described as Atiku’s “media consultant.”
But in a rebuttal issued on Thursday, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, said the former presidential candidate never engaged Johnson in any capacity, stressing that the reports were “fabricated and misleading.”
“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.
He described as “particularly offensive” the claim that an Atiku administration would be dominated by one ethnic group, insisting it was part of a broader campaign of disinformation.
According to Ibe, “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.”
The media aide further cautioned journalists and the public to be vigilant against propaganda and misinformation, accusing the administration of President Bola Tinubu of sponsoring fabricated narratives to undermine opposition figures.
He reiterated that any authentic communication from the former vice president must come through the Atiku Media Office and be signed either by him or his special assistant on public communications.
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