Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate, has denied any ties to a media consultant named Kola Johnson.
The clarification comes after Kola Johnson reportedly released a statement on Wednesday claiming that an Atiku-led administration would prioritize Yoruba interests if he is elected president in 2027. Atiku, through his Media Adviser Paul Ibe, described the statement as “false and offensive,” asserting that it was part of a deliberate campaign to discredit him.
In a statement released on Thursday, Atiku accused “faceless mercenaries” of circulating unauthorized publications to tarnish his image. The statement specifically addressed Kola Johnson, described as a “self-styled media consultant,” rejecting his claim that an Atiku administration would be dominated by a single ethnic group.
The statement read: “Our findings point directly to the Presidency, which, in its desperation to smear opposition leaders, has resorted to hiring faceless mercenaries to fabricate fake stories and circulate unauthorised statements on Atiku. Particularly offensive is the false claim attributed to this individual that an Atiku administration would be dominated by a single ethnic group. This disinformation is part of a calculated propaganda project designed to ridicule Atiku in the media. Let it be clear: Atiku Abubakar has never engaged one Kola Johnson as a media consultant, aide, or associate. Any statement issued in that name is fake and should be disregarded. We urge media houses that have published such falsehoods to immediately retract them.”
The statement also stressed that official information about Atiku is released only through his Media Adviser or Special Assistant on Public Communications. “Editors and media gatekeepers are strongly advised to verify with the Atiku Media Office before publication,” it added.
The controversy followed reports suggesting that Atiku assured stakeholders in the South-West geopolitical zone that their interests would remain central to his policy if elected in 2027. Quoting Kola Johnson, the reports highlighted Atiku’s long-standing marital and cultural ties to the region, including his marriage to a Yoruba woman in the 1970s and the four children they share.
Atiku reportedly said: “In case you don’t know or have forgotten, I was married to my first wife, Titi, a Yoruba woman, in the 70s, and we have four Yoruba children together. She is now over 75 years old, and we are still together. Besides, the Yoruba are so sophisticated and highly educated that you can only toy with them at your peril. My Ijesha-born Yoruba wife is more than a wife to me. Aptly put, she is my Jewel of Inestimable Value, and anybody who knows about my family, even from a distance, can easily tell you this.”
He also reportedly dismissed concerns of Hausa/Fulani domination under his leadership, emphasizing that his Yoruba connections extend beyond family to include close friends and associates from the region.