Group Berates Sahara Reporters Over Fake Report On Kogi APC Primary Poll, says media outlet doing paymaster's bidding »

OAU Mandate Group, socio-political group loyal to the APC governorship candidate in Kogi State, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo has condemned what it called unprofessional reportage laced with falsehood, describing Sahara Reporters a popular online newspaper as coven of fake news and agent of hatchet jobs.

The group said the declaration of result of the last week primary election of APC while the process was still going on shows that Sahara Reporters has jettisoned its primary duty of informing the general populace to a mouthpiece of political interests and those who have sworn to fight the government and people of Kogi State.

Recall that while the April 14 APC direct governorship primary election which produced Alh Ododo Ahmed Usman as winner was still ongoing, Sahara Reporters and some media platforms went ahead to announce one Muri Ajaka who has ceased to be a party Member by reason of his suspension as winner.

OAU Mandate Group in a statement on Monday by its Director of Communications, Dr. Samuel Olufemi insists that Sahara Reporters is acting on the instruction of an unnamed international businessman who has recruited it along with other social media influencers and mainstream media to churn out falsehoods targeted at the person of the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, the APC governorship candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo and the government of Kogi State.

The group while insisting that the people of Kogi know better and would not fall to the criminal antics and propaganda of Sahara Reporters says it’s aware that the Publisher of Sahara reporter has been heavily induced financially to coordinate a consistent and sustained media propaganda and war against the Governor, our party’s Candidate and government of Kogi State.

“We have it in good authority that this is just the beginning of several lies and propaganda that will be churned out against the government of people of Kogi State, with governor Yahaya Bello and the APC governorship candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo as prime targets.

“We are well aware of those they are working for and in coming days, we will expose them. For the avoidance of doubt, intelligence report at our disposal suggests that two prominent businessmen who are against a continuity of Governor Bello’s leadership, especially handing over to his preferred successor and have hired Sahara Reporters and some other media outlets we will still mention with large sum of dollars for their nefarious services.

“The people of Kogi State should not be shocked if in coming days they start seeing fictitious reports of imaginary corruption allegations against our dear governorship candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo. They should know that Sahara Reporters and their criminal gang are spinning criminal falsehoods for which they have been hired for.

“We must make it clear that no amount of falsehood and propaganda will stop this divinely ordained mandate. Alh Ododo Ahmed Usman is our next governor by the grace of God.

“Sahara Reporters owned by a known con man with no visible means of livelihood can now understand better that their result of the primary election belong to the waste bin as the people of Kogi have loudly taken a stand in their choice of next governor.

“We also want to use this opportunity to call on aggrieved members of our party, particularly aspirants who lost out in the governorship primaries to join forces with Ododo to ensure victory for our great party”, the statement added.