Viral claims that the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was attacked in Kogi State have been faulted by his campaign organisation.
Reports had emerged earlier that the former Governor of Kano State who visited Kogi for the inauguration of the party’s secretariat and campaign office, was booed and stoned by some hoodlums, Naija News reports.
It was claimed in the report that the presidential hopeful was also stoned with sachets of water in Lokoja, the state capital.
Reacting, however in a statement on Thursday, Kwankwaso’s campaign group described the reports as fake.
The group said the presidential candidate was given a warm welcome since his arrival in the state. It warned against the dissemination of reports capable of misleading the people.
The statement handed down to newsmen by the spokesperson of the campaign group, Ladipo Johnson read, “Our attention has been drawn to a number of media reports, which insinuate that the convoy of Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party was attacked in Kogi State.”
It added: “We wish to categorically and unambiguously state that these stories are fake, unfounded and ridiculous.
“Since his arrival in the state, Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has received nothing short of love from the good people of Kogi State.
“On Wednesday, he visited the family of his bosom friend, the former governor of Kogi State, late Prince Abdullahi Audu at their country home. From there, he proceeded to the Lokoja city centre to commission his party’s new state headquarters.
“We wish to state that in and between these two locations, the presidential candidate’s convoy was not at any point pelted on or received unfavourably by the good people of Kogi State.
“Additionally, contrary to media accounts on the purported attack, we categorically confirm that there is no person named “Musa Yunusa” on the Kwankwaso media team. Therefore, the media cannot rely on a phantom name to establish a supposed incident that never happened in the first place.
“The Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation is looking at various means to ensure that the journalist and new medium that concocted this fake news are brought to book.”
The group also admonished the media to verify any news related to Kwankwaso through his official campaign spokespersons before misleading the public, especially in such perilous moments.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r63Io5innaeoe6S7zGhpaWpiZH16e49qZqSvkaO4uK3SqGSnp6RiwLW7zZ6bZqGeYriws8hmmpqloJa2qLqMoKmoraBk