Tinubu campaign organization warns Obi supporters against fake news
The Tinubu Campaign Organization (TCO) has warned supporters of Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to stop spreading lies that could misinform Nigerians.
Director, Media and Communications, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said such lies and misinformation would not win the election.
Mr. Onanuga, who also asked Mr. Obi to caution his supporters, urged them to allow the 2023 electoral circle to focus on issues that would promote the country's growth, progress and stability.
He warned Mr. Obi to get his supporters to refrain from spreading lies, malice and disparaging other presidential candidates, especially Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).
He expressed optimism that Nigeria would be better off and the electoral process would be enriched if the 2023 presidential campaigns focused on issues of good governance aimed at lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
>He added that the 2023 election campaigns should not be dominated by "the ramblings of the gutters", who do not wish the good of the country.
Mr. Onanuga noted that the TCO saw the need to call on the LP standard bearer to warn his followers after investigating the origin of a recent false report circulating.
He said the report claimed that Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo had written a letter to Mr. Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, asking him to support Mr. Obi and take care of his health.
He said the Ghanaian President through his official Twitter account vehemently debunked fake news as the product of deliberate mischief with the intent to mislead the public.
"I did not write such a letter to the head of the APC, nor did it occur to me to do so. Ghana and Nigeria boast of decades of cordial, strong relations and fraternal,
“And it is not me who will interfere in the internal affairs and politics of Nigeria,” Mr. Onanuga quoted the President of Ghana via his Twitter account.
He added that the TCO had discovered that Akufo-Addo's fake letter was first published on June 22 by a malicious platform, whose url is worlsnews.space and the site identity was World of News.
Mr. Onanuga said an analysis of the site's content clearly showed that it was a Biafra news platform.
According to him, the fake news was reposted on Facebook by Peter Obi Support Group, the same day, showing that Biafran activists and Peter Obi supporters are the same.
“The Facebook account and website are full of fake stories about Bola Tinubu, including a fake story attributed to former governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State alleging that Tinubu demanded a monthly payment of 50 billion from him naira.
READ ALSO: PDP leader condemns those who mock Tinubu's health"The fallacy of the statement lies in the evidence that Lagos only started generating N50 billion revenue after Ambode left.
"Tinubu could not have demanded a monthly payment of 50 billion naira from Ambode when the state government failed to do so in a month throughout Ambode's tenure," said Mr. Onanuga.
He added that the hacker website, which the Facebook account feeds on, also spreads malicious fake news and headlines with no supporting stories.
"The big surprise in all of this is that not all titles have supporting stories, and clicking on them can bring a virus to your computer.
"We have reached a point where it becomes imperative to tell Obi to show leadership.
“He should disavow his followers who use fake news and disinformation as deliberate tools to deceive and poison the minds of unsuspecting Nigerians,” Mr. Onanuga said.
(NAN)
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The Tinubu Campaign Organization (TCO) has warned supporters of Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to stop spreading lies that could misinform Nigerians.
Director, Media and Communications, Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said such lies and misinformation would not win the election.
Mr. Onanuga, who also asked Mr. Obi to caution his supporters, urged them to allow the 2023 electoral circle to focus on issues that would promote the country's growth, progress and stability.
He warned Mr. Obi to get his supporters to refrain from spreading lies, malice and disparaging other presidential candidates, especially Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).
He expressed optimism that Nigeria would be better off and the electoral process would be enriched if the 2023 presidential campaigns focused on issues of good governance aimed at lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
>He added that the 2023 election campaigns should not be dominated by "the ramblings of the gutters", who do not wish the good of the country.
Mr. Onanuga noted that the TCO saw the need to call on the LP standard bearer to warn his followers after investigating the origin of a recent false report circulating.
He said the report claimed that Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo had written a letter to Mr. Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, asking him to support Mr. Obi and take care of his health.
He said the Ghanaian President through his official Twitter account vehemently debunked fake news as the product of deliberate mischief with the intent to mislead the public.
"I did not write such a letter to the head of the APC, nor did it occur to me to do so. Ghana and Nigeria boast of decades of cordial, strong relations and fraternal,
“And it is not me who will interfere in the internal affairs and politics of Nigeria,” Mr. Onanuga quoted the President of Ghana via his Twitter account.
He added that the TCO had discovered that Akufo-Addo's fake letter was first published on June 22 by a malicious platform, whose url is worlsnews.space and the site identity was World of News.
Mr. Onanuga said an analysis of the site's content clearly showed that it was a Biafra news platform.
According to him, the fake news was reposted on Facebook by Peter Obi Support Group, the same day, showing that Biafran activists and Peter Obi supporters are the same.
“The Facebook account and website are full of fake stories about Bola Tinubu, including a fake story attributed to former governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State alleging that Tinubu demanded a monthly payment of 50 billion from him naira.
READ ALSO: PDP leader condemns those who mock Tinubu's health"The fallacy of the statement lies in the evidence that Lagos only started generating N50 billion revenue after Ambode left.
"Tinubu could not have demanded a monthly payment of 50 billion naira from Ambode when the state government failed to do so in a month throughout Ambode's tenure," said Mr. Onanuga.
He added that the hacker website, which the Facebook account feeds on, also spreads malicious fake news and headlines with no supporting stories.
"The big surprise in all of this is that not all titles have supporting stories, and clicking on them can bring a virus to your computer.
"We have reached a point where it becomes imperative to tell Obi to show leadership.
“He should disavow his followers who use fake news and disinformation as deliberate tools to deceive and poison the minds of unsuspecting Nigerians,” Mr. Onanuga said.
(NAN)
Support the integrity and credibility journalism of PREMIUM TIMES Good journalism is very expensive. Yet only good journalism can guarantee the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy and a transparent government. For free and continued access to the best investigative journalism in the country, we ask that you consider providing modest support to this noble endeavour. By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to perpetuate a daily...What's Your Reaction?
