Rotimi Oyekanmi, the former chief press secretary to former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has refuted rumors that INEC employees played a “funeral song” as Yakubu bowed out of office on Tuesday.
Oyekanmi, who left with his principal, said that the gesture was not a dirge as some media outlets had claimed, but rather a sign of respect and devotion.
“The obvious display of love and respect by the grateful INEC staff at the commission’s headquarters yesterday as the departing former INEC Chairman, Yakubu, walked to his car is now being purposefully misinterpreted and misrepresented as a ‘funeral song,'” Oyekanmi said in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday.
In particular, the former CPS charged Sahara Reporters for misleading the public, characterizing the piece as a purposeful effort to damage Yakubu’s reputation.
He claimed that only a group of hatemongers posing as reporters at Sahara Reporters could have created this purposeful piece of misinformation. However, they have failed and will fail again.
Oyekanmi insisted that throughout Yakubu’s ten years in office, INEC employees continuously showed respect for him, recollecting how they publicly commended his welfare programs and policies.
He claims that under Yakubu’s direction, revolutionary policies were implemented, leading to staff promotions, better benefits, and additional chances for capacity building.
“The majority of INEC staff openly discussed Yakubu’s transformative policies that had, over the last ten years, led to senior and junior staff promotions, more allowances, and capacity development initiatives,” he stated, in contrast to the false story.
The departing spokesperson denounced what he saw as the abuse of media to further slanderous campaigns.
“Journalism is about facts, accuracy, and truthfulness,” he warned, adding that it should not be exploited as a platform for slanderous attacks by phony journalists.
“It is imperative that Sahara Reporters’ management warn those who use its platform to disseminate false information about people, organizations, and events, as this will harm the newspaper’s reputation over time.”
“Prof. Yakubu’s legacy is certain, despite the falsehoods propagated by well-known individuals.”
It had previously stated that on Tuesday, Yakubu formally transferred INEC’s leadership to the most senior National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will operate in that role until President Bola Tinubu appoints a permanent replacement.
