By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The Presidency on Friday raised another alarm that a plan was afoot by some unnamed people to smear President Muhammadu Buhari as someone pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies, contrary to his pledge to belong to all Nigerians.
Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, claimed in a statement that the alleged masterminds of the plot plan to use online newspapers and blogs for their work.
This is the second time in one month that the Presidency would raise such alarm.
On December 23, 2020, the Presidency also raised alarm over an alleged plan to smear the image of President Buhari by portraying him as someone not in charge of the affairs of government.
In the December alarm also raised by Adesina, the Presidency claimed that an online platform has been procured to launch the campaign of calumny against the president with heavy monetary inducement, while an offshore medium has been hired for the assignment.
“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 an 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 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 proceeds apace, and the Buhari Administration will not be distracted, and will continue to serve with heart and might, irrespective of all shenanigans.”
Following the same template, Adesina warned today that the plan this time was to release editorials alleging that the president places members of his ethnic nationality in sensitive positions.
Adesina said the idea was to damage Buhari’s reputation.
The president has been heavily criticized for his nepotistic predilection.
Adesina’s statement on Friday reads: “There is compelling reason to alert the nation of another orchestrated smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari, using some online newspapers and blogs.
“The campaign, scheduled to be launched anytime soon through editorials and purported special investigative stories, is designed to further exacerbate tension in the land, by portraying the President as pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies, contrary to his pledge to belong to all Nigerians.
“Impeccable security findings indicate that those behind the plot have procured online blogs and newspapers, which are to launch coordinated publications, alleging subjugation and suppression of a particular religion and ethnic groups.
“A specific medium has so far contacted some opinion leaders, especially those very critical of President Buhari.
“Part of the planned publication is to make unwary readers believe that the President has continually used the powers of his office to shield and protect an ethnic group against crimes of murder, kidnappings, rape and banditry in the southern, middle belt and some northern states.
“The publication will also refer Nigerians to a 58-page document, which chronicles purported atrocities of the ethnic group in the South since 2017, all of which it claims the Presidency has turned blind eyes to.
“Again, the hatchet job will allege that the President has continued to place members of his ethnic nationality in sensitive positions, so as to confer undue advantage on them. This allegation is by no means supported with reasonable facts and figures.
“Just on Thursday, President Buhari, while meeting with the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, restated his even-handedness on the issues of ethnicity and religion.
“Said the President: ‘The Federal Government under my leadership does not, and will not, allow religious prejudice or partisanship to influence any of its decisions and policies. It is my solemn decision to be fair and just to all segments of society.’
“Those who are bent on stoking ethnic and religious unrest in the country remain deaf to reason, and impervious to reality. They are hell-bent on distorting reality, and Nigerians are urged to be wary of them. It is all about quest for power, and filthy lucre,” the statement concluded.