Abubakar Kawu Baraje, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has denied reports quoting him as saying that the All Progressives Congress (APC) brought in Fulani militias from neighboring countries to disrupt the 2015 general elections.
Some news platforms on Monday quoted Baraje as saying that the insecurity can be traced to the importation of Fulani individuals from Mali, Niger Republic, and Chad, into the country for election purposes in 2015.
In a statement during an appearance on Wednesday on Arise TV, Baraje said that the reports are fake and baseless, saying that the reports were meant to ridicule him.
He asserted that his political enemies conjured a smear campaign against him. He added that the reports were referring to a press conference he granted in 2019.
He further explained that what he said at the time was that in the build-up to the 2015 general elections, the APC prepared all manners of scandals to ensure that if it didn’t win, then Nigeria does not stay.
In the statement he said: “That news that was attached to me was fake news.
“That press conference which is being referred to, is the handiwork of mischief makers. I made a press statement as far back as 2019, on my 70th birthday. That’s about two and a half years ago. What I said at that time was very clear. Thank God what I said was on record.
“It is surprising that some people on social media find it expedient now to come up with fake news, an interview that took place two and half years ago, depicting it as if it is a very fresh one.”
