Not even a thousand media aides can save the reputation of President Bola Tinubu, which is currently drowning in scandals, Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant to the former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has said.

Shaibu said this in a statement on Monday while reacting to the establishment of a new media directorate and the appointment of an additional five aides by the Tinubu administration.

The new aides include Mr.

Shaibu said the appointments were a confirmation of his September 18 statement, where he revealed that the Tinubu government was on the verge of unleashing a propaganda unit.

He said, “I warned on September 18 that the Tinubu government was getting frustrated after being exposed for their many lies and that they would set up a propaganda unit.

“Now they have established a media and publicity directorate. This brings to 20 the number of media advisers appointed by Tinubu. In fact, about three of these appointees hold the exact same portfolio.

“We understand the desperation by Tinubu’s government which is currently facing a huge certificate forgery scandal and is about to be drowned by the files that the FBI will release regarding his heroin case in the United States.

“For a government that claims to be focused on fiscal discipline, it has appointed the largest number of non-statutory appointments. Isn’t it ironic that Tinubu has more media advisers than economic aides? It is obvious that he plans to use propaganda to rule. No wonder he has held only one cabinet meeting in five months.

“Tinubu and his lackeys must, however, understand that no matter the air freshener you use in spraying excreta, the stench can never go away. No amount of image laundering can save his sinking image.

“His list of media aides include: Ajuri Ngelale (Special Adviser Media and Publicity); Tunde Rahman (SSAP Media); Tope Ajayi (SSAP Media and Publicity); Abdulaziz Abdulaziz (SSAP Print Media); Otega Ogara (SSAP Digital/New Media);  Segun Dada (SAP Social Media); Nosa Asemota (SAP Visual Communications); Sunday  Moses (PA Videography); Taiwo Okonlawon (PA State photography); Moremi Ojudu (SAP, community engagement southwest); Tanko Yakasai (SAP, community engagement northwest); Chioma Nweze (SAP, community engagement southeast)., Abiodun Essiet (SAP, community engagement north-central); Abdulhamid Yahaya Abba (SAP, community engagement northeast); Emmanuella Eduozor (SAP Multimedia content production). This is apart from the Minister of Information and others appointed in the ministry to drive the propaganda.

“With the latest appointment, Tinubu now has over 20 media aides, the highest in the history of Nigeria. But propaganda can only go so far. Propaganda cannot put food on the table of the poor; it cannot make their infrastructure better; it cannot solve insecurity, and it definitely cannot bring in circumspect foreign investors.

They can only like the character, Squealer, in Animal Farm, succeed at increasing the quantities of food available to the community only on paper.”

This is asPresident Tinubu has approved the appointment of five people to serve in the Office of the President under the Media and Publicity Directorate.

This is in line with the President’s full respect for the tenets of Nigeria’s federal character principle and the supremacy of merit.

This is disclosed in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Monday in Abuja.

He said that Mr Fela Durotoye is the Senior Special Assistant to the President- National Values and Social Justice.

Mr Fredrick Nwabufo is the Senior Special Assistant to the President- Public Engagement.

Mrs Linda Akhigbe is the Senior Special Assistant to the President- Strategic Communications.

Ngelale said that the president also approved the secondment of Akhigbe as the Communications Adviser to the President of the ECOWAS Commission.

Mr Aliyu Audu is the Special Assistant to the President- Public Affairs, while Mr Francis Abah is the Personal Assistant to the President- Special Duties.

The President tasks all new appointees to uphold the highest standards of decorum and decency in their engagements with all members of the public as they advance the President’s bid to renew the hope of Nigerians in a restructured economy and unified society. (NAN)