A year after leaving office as the Minister of Power, Abubakar D. Aliyu, has asked Nigerians to disregard public statements credited to his name in the last few months.
Naijaonpoint recalls that the immediate former minister of power vacated office on 29 May 2023, when the new administration took over the government.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media office, Aliyu, who was responding to some interviews attributed to him regarding the power sector, said: “I wish to inform the public that I have not granted any media interviews since leaving office over a year ago. The interviews published by some blogs and news sites with my name and my picture have nothing to do with me and did not emanate from me.”
The former minister appealed to Nigerians to disregard the interview being circulated in the media, stressing that an investigation is ongoing on the publications.
“In one instance, an interview granted to a television station by another former minister of power who shares the same surname with him was attributed to Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu,” the statement read.
The former minister urged news publishing firms and blogs to verify and thoroughly check their details before publishing.
“A media organization has a duty to ensure that whatever it is sharing is accurate and factual. That is the fundamental ethic of journalism that protects the integrity of the media,” Aliyu noted.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of journalists and bloggers dedicating meticulous professional care to details, names, and photos when disseminating stories.
This, he said, is crucial to guarantee the accuracy of facts and prevent any confusion or mixing up of names, facts, personalities, and issues.