The Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd) has maintained that May 29rh scheduled for the official handover of power to the incoming administration of the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinunu remains sacrosanct saying “no propaganda, blackmail or fake news targeted at me and the Military will deter the Armed Forces from dealing decisively with any person or group whose agenda is to disrupt the sacrosanct May 29th date for the handing over of power to the President-Elect.”

A statement issued and e-signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammad Abdulkadri, said; “The attention of the Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) has been drawn to an online fake story credited to him as undermining the handover.

General Magashi described the statement as unfortunate, unfounded, spurious as well as myopic, diabolic and despotic publication traced to the stable of the agents of anti-democratic forces who are masquerading as politicians.

It reads on parts; ” It is a condemnable act of the stock in trade of some disgruntled elements trying to drag his reputation and that of the nation’s “apolitical Military” into a politically motivated media hype aimed at disparaging the personality of the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Again, the story accordingly cannot pass the test of reasonability, reality, rationality and believability as it was dead on arrival. After all, it was not a chance that the minister was vindicated by being the first member of the Federal Executive Council, FEC to congratulate the President-elect in a widely circulated and verifiable measure in the media,” it said.

General Magashi stressed that it is an exercise in futility to concoct false news against a man of proven integrity like him to be derided at this crucial time when he is busy supervising the constitutional role of the military in aid of civil authority to defend the nation’s democracy.

“It is therefore a bad market for the paid hack-writer whose adventurism for money spinning fake news business is capable of undermining selfless service to the nation.

“The Minister’s unblemished pedigree speaks volume as a highly respected loyal member of APC alongside being a credible elder statesman in the same party with the President-Elect.” (Daily Independent)