Presidency Accused of Hiring “Mercenaries” to Smear Atiku
The media team for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar today accused the Presidency of resorting to “desperate” tactics, including hiring a “self-styled media consultant,” to fabricate fake stories and spread disinformation about the opposition leader.
In a press release signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, the Atiku Media Office (AMO) stated that its findings “point directly to the Presidency” as the source of a campaign to circulate “unauthorized statements” and “ridicule Atiku in the media.”
The statement specifically referenced a false claim attributed to an individual named Kola Johnson, which alleged that an Atiku administration would be dominated by a single ethnic group. The AMO emphatically denied any association with Johnson.
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“Let it be clear: Atiku Abubakar has never engaged one Kola Johnson as a media consultant, aide, or associate,” the release said.
“Any statement issued in that name is fake and should be disregarded.” The office urged media houses that had published the falsehoods to “immediately retract them.”
The AMO also cautioned Nigerians and the media to “remain vigilant against the propaganda schemes of the Tinubu administration,” which it says now includes “circulating fabricated statements through compromised journalists.”
According to the release, all authentic information from Atiku Abubakar is only released through the Atiku Media Office and signed by Paul Ibe or the Special Assistant on Public Communications. The office advised editors and media gatekeepers to “verify with the AMO before publication.”
By PRNigeria
