Tinubu to Atiku, Obi: Sponsoring fake news against me won’t help you

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has accused his challengers in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively, of sponsoring fake news against him.

Tinubu accused Atiku and Obi of forging the purported letter by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the electoral umpire was investigating a case of criminal forfeiture against him over his (Tinubu) alleged connection to a drug trafficking case in the United States, adding that the presidential candidates hoped the allegations will ultimately lead to his disqualification from the presidential race.

He made this known via a statement issued on Sunday by the Director, Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga.

The statement read: “The opposition Peoples Democratic Party and its subsidiary Labour Party having realised they have no sure path to victory in the February 2023 presidential election upped their campaign of calumny, disinformation, and misinformation on Saturday by sponsoring fake news against the All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“They did it by forging the letterhead of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the signature of its national commissioner, Festus Okoye.

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“The forged statement purportedly issued by INEC was disseminated to deceive the gullible public that INEC was investigating allegations against Asiwaju Tinubu that, they desperately hoped, will ultimately lead to the disqualification of the frontline APC Presidential candidate.

“We are not in any way surprised by the antics of the sinking opposition parties. What we found shocking was how quickly some compromised media organisations gulped the falsehood, hook, line and sinker, without attempting to verify.

“We understand why they did so: the forgery and its narrative fit their mindset of throwing overboard every known virtue of ethical journalism and professionalism, as they work in cahoot with the opposition to defame Asiwaju Tinubu.

“This inglorious path has been taken before since 2003 and in the run-up to the primaries of the ruling APC that produced Asiwaju Tinubu as the presidential torch bearer. Those who took this damned path of infamy lost their bet because Asiwaju Tinubu stands rock solid and indestructible.

“Our candidate has consistently said he will make this campaign about issues that affect the lives of Nigerians and how to proffer workable and enduring solutions that will improve quality of life of our people who are looking for leaders at all levels to improve their lives and sow them seeds of prosperity in our country.

“He has demonstrated this resolve by publishing an 80-page manifesto tagged Action Plan for a Better Nigeria, which he has been selling to strategic sectoral groups in the country.”

Onanuga added that the APC would “no longer allow the prevailing recklessness and utter disregard for professional judgment to continue unchallenged”

He, therefore, called on the police to investigate the circulation of the “forged INEC statement and serve justice to those responsible”.

The Star