Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of engaging in propaganda and disinformation against him.
The former Vice President said this in a statement distancing himself from a statement by Kola Johnson who claims to be his media consultant.
Johnson, who claimed he is Atiku’s media consultant, issued a statement on Wednesday quoting the former Vice President as promising to ensure the Yoruba people will get topmost consideration if he emerges president.
But the statement had already attracted reaction for the South West chapter of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement (GHSM) which stressed that Atiku’s recent overtures to the Yoruba people “carry little weight,” because the region has already settled on Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as its preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Dismissing Johnson’s claim as his consultant Atiku, in a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, said it traced his alleged consultant’s action to the presidency which he accused of resorting to hiring faceless mercenaries to fabricate fake stories and circulate unauthorized statements on Atiku.
Atiku said, “We have observed with concern a certain self-styled “media consultant,” one Kola Johnson, issuing press releases in the name of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“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.”
He added that it was particularly offensive that Johnson falsely attributed to Atiku a statement that his 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.”
Atiku said he has never engaged Johnson as a media consultant, aide, or associate, adding that any statement issued in that name is fake and should be disregarded.
Earlier, a South West chapter of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement (GHSM) declared that the South West has already settled on Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as its preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, stressing that Atiku’s recent overtures to the Yoruba people “carry little weight.”
Reacting in Osogbo on Thursday, the South West Coordinator of the GHSM, Alhaji Abass Olaniyi, dismissed Atiku’s remarks as sentimental rhetoric that does not address the urgent needs of the Yoruba people or Nigerians at large.
“The South West is not swayed by mere words or emotional claims. Our people have always demanded leadership rooted in integrity, competence, and vision for a better Nigeria. That is why we stand firmly with Dr. Gbenga Hashim,” Olaniyi said.
According to him, Gbenga Hashim is more than a politician seeking office. He is a democrat with clean hands, a successful entrepreneur with global exposure, and a bridge builder capable of uniting both the North and South.
Olaniyi emphasised that Hashim’s Yoruba roots and national acceptability make him uniquely qualified to embody the region’s progressive values of justice, equity, and innovation, while also responding to national aspirations.
According to Olaniyi, “what more, Dr Hashim is running on the platform of a bigger politics, and the PDP, a platform bigger than Atiku’s ADC”
He further contrasted Hashim with Atiku, describing the former vice president as a representation of the “old order” in Nigerian politics.
“Our people do not just want promises about being ‘in-laws’ or part of an extended family. We want a leader who understands the complexities of today’s global economy, who can rebuild trust in governance, and who has the courage to reform Nigeria. Gbenga Hashim stands out as that leader,” he declared.
The GHSM South West Coordinator also urged Yoruba leaders, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, and youths to consolidate their support for Hashim, describing him as the candidate of conscience with the capacity to unite Nigeria, end insecurity, and revive the economy.
Olaniyi concluded by stating that the South West has a history of championing progressive ideals, and in 2027, that tradition will be upheld through unwavering support for Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim.