By Leon Usigbe – Abuja

THE Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that the Buhari Media Centre is surreptitiously circulating a video which suggests that he is planning to cede parts of Borno State to Boko Haram in a peace deal.

In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, in Abuja on Thursday, the former Vice President described the allegation contained in the video as false.

He said the circulation of the video is a demonstration of the extent to which the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is prepared to engage in dirty politics.

The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a video being surreptitiously circulated by the Buhari Media Centre, under a satanic pseudonym, ‘Make Nigeria Worse Again’, in which they falsely accuse the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, of planning to cede parts of Borno State to Boko Haram in a peace deal.

“This is completely false and only shows the level of dirty politics and fake news the Muhammadu Buhari administration is prepared to engage in its desperation to cling to power despite its widespread unpopularity.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the only plans that His Excellency Atiku Abubakar has for Boko Haram is the total defeat of the terrorist sect once and for all. Atiku Abubakar is not one for ‘technical’ defeats. He has said publicly and privately that if he is elected, both Boko Haram and ISWAP would be wiped off the face of the planet.

“Indeed, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Buhari administration policy of releasing so-called ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members and tied the resurgence of terrorism in the nation to that ill-advised program.

“Under an Atiku Abubakar administration, every terrorist that is caught will be tried in accordance with the provisions of the law. Atiku Abubakar has zero tolerance for terrorists and has detailed his plan to equip the military to deal decisively with these threats to our national security once and for all.

It is worth noting however that this fake news video began circulating soon after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commissioned the Buhari Media Center on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, in Gwarinpa, Abuja.

“It is very doubtful that this is a coincidence and we call on the public to be wary of such videos and other online propaganda from the Buhari Media Centre to discredit the PDP Presidential candidate.”