Presidency Hiring Fake Spokesmen To Tarnish My Image — Atiku Explodes

Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has raised a fiery alarm, accusing the Presidency of orchestrating a sinister propaganda campaign aimed at discrediting him.

In a strongly worded statement signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku distanced himself from one Kola Johnson, a self-styled “media consultant” who has been issuing statements in his name. Atiku described Johnson as an impostor allegedly sponsored by elements within the Presidency to smear his reputation.

> “Our findings point directly to the Presidency, which, in its desperation to ridicule opposition leaders, has resorted to hiring faceless mercenaries to circulate fabricated stories about Atiku Abubakar,” the statement read.

The Atiku Media Office condemned a particularly damaging claim attributed to the impostor — that an Atiku-led administration would be “dominated by a single ethnic group.” Atiku dismissed the allegation as a calculated falsehood designed to sow ethnic tension and tarnish his democratic credentials.

The statement further warned journalists and media outlets to exercise extreme caution, urging them to verify any communication purportedly coming from Atiku before publication.

> “Let it be clear: 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 retract them immediately,” Ibe stated.
Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of deploying propaganda machinery against perceived political rivals, warning Nigerians to remain vigilant against what he called a “coordinated disinformation campaign.”

He reiterated that authentic information from him is released only through the Atiku Media Office, signed either by Paul Ibe or the Special Assistant on Public Communications.

The development has further heightened political tension, with opposition figures warning that the spread of fabricated statements could erode public trust in governance and media credibility.