Politics
Atiku Group Accuses BMO Of Peddling Fake News
Supporters of the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the February 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, have accused the Buhari Media Organization, BMO, of planting fake news in the media.
The Atiku group said the BMO was doing this to reduce the discourse the former Vice President’s watertight petition is generating at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The statement issued by the Convener, Justice Vanguard, Ezekiel Adeojo, expressed disappointment over an alleged barrage of fake news the group was churning into the media to mutilate the statements of Atiku’s witnesses, purposely to confuse the Nigerian public and subsequently create holes in the petitioner’s submissions.
The group further alleged that the BMO had been given a matching order with commensurate funding by the Presidency to rubbish testimonies of Atiku’s witnesses in the media by ensuring that every comment of the witnesses is twisted in the public.
“With the mind-boggling testimonies of Atiku’s witnesses at the ongoing Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which validates our earlier statement that Atiku’s mandate was stolen, the Presidency has been sent into frenzy mode.
“The APC has been panicking since the petitioner’s witnesses opened the putrid can of worms on how the electoral will of Nigerians was truncated. Even INEC has been contradicting itself; destroying whatever credibility that is left of the commission just to defend indefensible electoral heist called 2019 presidential election.
“We, Justice Vanguard have been reliably informed by our intelligence that BMO has been given a matching order with commensurate funding by the Presidency to rubbish testimonies of Atiku’s witnesses in the media by ensuring that every comment of the witnesses is twisted in the public.
“This explains the barrage of fake news in the media mutilating statements of Atiku’s witnesses, just to confuse Nigerian public and subsequently create holes in petitioner’s submissions.
“Some propagandised stories like: ‘Atiku’s witness can’t remember date of presidential election’ published by online version of a news medium, and sensational report tagged ‘Breaking: I saw my statement for the first time before Tribunal, says Atiku’s witness,’ promoted in another newspaper. These are spin reports. Discerning Nigerians are already aware that the news medium is one of propagandistic platforms of the an APC chieftain.
“We want to categorically inform Nigerians that these infantile propaganda reported as statements of Atiku’s witnesses do not reflect what happened at the tribunal in the last few days. We acknowledge the fact that the PDP’s witnesses are not infallible like every other human, but do not have the propensity to make such omnibus mistakes.
“These stories were planted in the media by fake news industry called Buhari Media Organization (BMO) to reduce the discourse Atiku’s watertight petition is generating. Nigerians should watch out for more fake news as more spin doctors under the payroll of the ruling APC have been commissioned to unleash a beehive of falsehood to corrupt impregnable facts being reeled out by Atiku’s witnesses at the tribunal. They are jittery because Atiku is indeed coming,” the group noted in the statement.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
