The Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office has dismissed the content of a story published in a national newspaper in which the reporter purportedly claimed to have spoken to some unnamed associates of former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and reported views he purportedly quoted to have been expressed during a meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Ilorin.
The Saraki Media Office, while urging political associates of Saraki and members of the public to disregard the fabrications and jaundiced views contained in the story, also condemns the spin and manipulations that the opposition in Kwara State concocted from the story by manufacturing quotes alongside a graphic design of their own to create a fresh falsehood for circulation online.
“It should be noted that the reporter of the story quoted unnamed sources and faceless individuals who he claimed attended a meeting with Dr. Saraki. He also sought the opinions of people who he did not tell the detail of the story he wanted them to respond to.
“We believe his story came from his misconception of why Dr. Saraki has refused to associate with or comment on the ongoing efforts by some politicians to form a coalition. It is equally obvious that he simply decided to package as a news story the permutations, projections and calculations of some individuals who believe they could proffer a reason for the quiet stance of the former Senate President.
“Anybody who has associated closely with Dr. Saraki will know that either in the public or private space, he does not speak carelessly and in a manner that can expose him to ridicule. He is always a careful and frugal speaker. The views expressed in that news story and the concocted graphic design in circulation do not represent the position of Dr. Saraki. He has nothing to do with them.
“We, therefore, call on well-meaning Nigerians to disregard and ignore the false claims contained either in the story published by the newspaper or the warped version of it being circulated online by elements of the opposition in Kwara State”, stated the Media Office.
*Signed
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office
Abuja
