Presidency Planting Fake Stories to Smear Me – Atiku

…Confirms KTH Daily Exclusive, Disowns “Media Consultant”

By John Paul

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday came out swinging against what he described as a coordinated disinformation campaign by the Presidency, accusing it of planting fake stories in his name to smear his image ahead of 2027.

Atiku’s response followed KTH Daily’s exclusive report which revealed that a so-called “media consultant,” one Kola Johnson, had issued a statement purporting to speak for him, promising top positions for the Yoruba in a future administration. On Thursday, Atiku’s camp officially disowned Johnson, declaring him a stranger to the former Vice President’s political structure.

The bogus release, which circulated widely, leaned on Atiku’s marriage to Titi Abubakar from Osun State as proof that a government under him would not be dominated by the Hausa-Fulani. It quoted him as saying that the Yoruba “would always occupy a topmost place” in his policymaking and governance if elected president in 2027.

But Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, promptly dismissed the statement as fake and linked it directly to the Presidency. “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.

The Atiku Media Office stressed that Atiku has never engaged Johnson “as a media consultant, aide, or associate,” and urged media houses that had published the release to retract it. It further warned that any such statements should be ignored unless issued through the Atiku Media Office.

“Particularly offensive is the false claim attributed to this individual that an Atiku administration would be dominated by a single ethnic group. This disinformation is part of a calculated propaganda project designed to ridicule Atiku in the media,” the office stated.

Blaming the Tinubu administration for masterminding the smear campaign, Atiku’s camp urged Nigerians and journalists to be vigilant against propaganda and to rely only on verified channels. It reiterated that authentic information from Atiku comes exclusively through his Media Office, signed by either Paul Ibe or the Special Assistant on Public Communications.

The rebuttal effectively confirmed KTH Daily’s exclusive that Johnson was unknown to Atiku’s campaign structure, drawing a firm line under the controversy over the so-called “Yoruba statement.”