The Presidency has alerted of a scheme, by those it described as ‘disgruntled politicians’, to launch a smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement issued Wednesday evening by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the Presidency alleged that the sponsors of the said scheme had commenced the process of engaging the services of some media outlets to execute the scheme
According to the statement, the work plan of the sponsors is to portray President Buhari as having lost control of the country, revealing further that the plot had already been kick-started with a foreign medium, allegedly sponsored to do so.
It, however revealed that in an attempt to get the same narrative going on in Nigeria, the said sponsors had already started reaching out to some online media platforms, some of which it said had been yielding to the lure.
“The general public is hereby alerted to a smear campaign in the works against Mr President and his office, by disgruntled political elements in the country, who have been shopping for pliant online media that will serve as accomplices in their nefarious act.
“The game plan is to launch orchestrated campaign of calumny in the days ahead, in which President Muhammadu Buhari would be portrayed as not being in charge of the country, a narrative already started from a procured offshore medium by the instigators.
“Money and other attractive inducements are being dangled before the online media, and some of them are already complicit, cooking up stories with jejune and unsubstantiated allegations, all to sow seeds of discord and discontent in the country”, the statement said.
The Presidency, however, dismissed the narrative and plot as unsubstantiated, noting that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had not flinched in its commitment to redeeming Nigeria and setting her on the path of growth, citing successes in the infrastructure, and imputes into the economic and security sectors as instances.
“Nigerians are urged to be wary and discerning in what they consume as news and special reports from such online media, as they are in cahoots with agents of destabilization, seeking ultimate political gains.
“President Buhari remains focused and single-minded in his determination to serve the country to the best of his ability, bringing change to different facets of our national life. This is already evident in infrastructure as seen in roads, rail, bridges, airports, and many other strides round the country. Agriculture is another worthy testimonial.
“The fight against corruption, insecurity, and retooling of the economy also proceed apace, and the Buhari Administration will not be distracted, and will continue to serve with heart and might, irrespective of all shenanigans,” the statement said.
