The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken its penchant for fake news and hate speech to an unprecedented level with its claim that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) imported terrorists as political mercenaries ahead of the 2019 elections.
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, that it was shocking that PDP would in 2022 resort to a claim that has since been dismissed as untrue by the man it was attributed to, in order to mislead Nigerians.
“We know that the last PDP executives had a proclivity for fake news but we did not expect the new leadership to toe a similar path until the latest press statement in which it alluded to a former top APC member’ who it said claimed that the ruling party imported terrorists to help rig the 2019 elections.
“What is surprising is that PDP could put out a statement built on fake news which has since been debunked by Kawu Baraje the same man who was quoted as making that comment.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the former PDP chairman issued a statement a few days after a section of the media claimed he accused APC of importing terrorists in order to wash his hands off the claims and also clarify a comment he made on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
“This is what he said: ‘I know some mischievous elements who probably have political points to score have been spreading false versions of my statements to the journalists during the chat I had on my 70th birthday.
‘All these false claims would not change my original position that the government and our security agencies must investigate the infiltration of our country by foreign criminal elements who masquerade as Fulani herders.
“So it is clear that what Kawu did was to simply call for an investigation into how foreign criminals found their way into the country but PDP, as a major purveyor of fake news would rather latch on unverified claims to attempt to score cheap political points”.
BMO added that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has continued to show it has the capacity to deal with terrorists in the country contrary to PDP’s claims.
“It is laughable that a party that failed to build the military’s capability to respond to new global security trends in 16 years has the audacity to make infantile claims against this administration.
“It is common knowledge that it was in the PDP years that Boko Haram grew from a rag-tag group to one of the most formidable terrorist groups in the world. And that was because at least two administrations did little or nothing to boost the operational readiness of the armed forces.
“We make bold to say that on President Buhari’s watch, Nigeria now ranks high in terms of military capacity and capability not only in Africa but also on the global stage.
“So not surprisingly, Boko Haram has been reduced to launching hit and run attacks from the fringes of the Lake Chad where it has been pushed to, while clearance operations continue.
“As for the bandits in the North West, Nigerians can see the courageous and creative ways the government went about designating criminals as terrorists despite issues on how to get it done in the first place.
“And just like the military have been pounding terrorist elements in the North East to the extent that thousands are surrendering, we are beginning to see a similar development in the areas where bandits used to cause havoc.
“It is also true that IDP camps are being shut in Borno State and the former occupants are returning to their towns and villages”.
The group urged Nigerians to ignore PDP’s attraction to fake news in the new year and continue to trust in President Buhari’s vow to leave the country better than he met it in all sectors.
