Presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala has slammed author Farouq Kperogi for making a false claim that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari divorced Aisha Buhari before his death.

Kperogi had issued an article shortly after Buhari died, claiming that Aisha Buhari, who was in mourning, was dumped by the former president before his demise.

After realising that his article was false, Kperogi quickly issued an apology, describing his action as “one of the worst and cruellest lapses of judgement.”

“To Mrs. Aisha Buhari, I offer my heartfelt and unreserved apology for the needless and deeply regrettable hurt I have caused. I am truly sorry,” he wrote in his apology to the former First Lady.

Reacting, Bwala revealed that Kperogi's error reflects the decline that journalism is facing in this modern era.

He shared on X, "The lesson to learn from the error of Farouq Kperogi, who lied about the beloved wife of our late president Buhari, is that modern journalism is riddled with lies, blackmail and fake news. He even said 'inside sources told me'. This underpins the insincerity that sometimes journalists use to blackmail people, especially on-air personalities who call themselves journalists without any form of formal training or tutelage in that regard.

"Thankfully, the democratisation of media through the new media has opened us all to the possibility of uncovering fake news, lies, and blackmail.

"Do not surrender your will or integrity to the conspiracies in the media. Don’t let anybody hide under the pretence of journalism to blackmail you; rise, demand and enforce your rights. Nothing is new under the heavens."


ASA