The presidency on Wednesday has alleged the plot to launch a staining campaign against the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
The presidency through the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, insisted that the plan of the “disgruntled political elements” was to portray Buhari as not being in charge of the country through cooked-up media stories, especially online.
Adesina who made the claim in a statement titled, ‘Smear campaign alert against the President’, called on Nigerians to be sensitive before believing in news and special reports from such online media.
The statement read, “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.
“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 destabilisation, seeking ultimate political gains.”
He added that, “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.”