PremiumTimes has challenged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to name its alleged "parent owner" in the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The challenge was thrown Abubakar's way after the online newspaper asked him to provide his academic records.
Abubakar was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election.
The newspaper said Abubakar's refusal to release his academic records draw a parallel with his doggedness to compel a US court to release Tinubu's academic records which he alleged were fraught with "discrepancies".
"The ethics of journalism seeks to establish the truth when there is a dispute about it or when there is a deliberate cover-up that inhibits public interest," Paul Ibe, spokesperson of the former vice-president, was quoted as saying in a statement to PremiumTimes.
"What the Premium Times has done in this case keeps faith in neither of these two precepts. The story in reference by Premium Times is nothing other than witch-hunt- and a callous one at that.
"Were the publishers of the Premium Times stable interested in the truth, it would have been more honourable for them to start their busybody foray into politicians' academic records by interrogating the discoveries from the Chicago State University.
"They certainly refrained from that engagement for the obvious reason that a parent owner of the newspaper occupies a critical seat in the current government."
'TINUBU'S RECORDS FRAUGHT WITH FORGERIES'
Before the presidential election petition tribunal and the supreme court affirmed the election victory of Tinubu, the former vice-president claimed that the president's academic records were littered with "discrepancies".
Abubakar instituted a case in the US to compel Chicago State University (CSU) to release Tinubu's academic records.
His request was granted.
However, the former vice-president was unsuccessful in his attempt to introduce "new evidence" against Tinubu at the apex court, bringing an end to a prolonged litigation on the president's victory.
'NAME THE PARENT OWNER IN TINUBU'S GOVERNMENT'
Following the claim by Abubakar's spokesperson, PremiumTimes challenged the politician's camp to name the "parent owner" of the newspaper.
"Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar should be bold enough to name the person he claimed to be a parent owner of our newspaper that occupies a critical seat in the current government," Musikilu Mojeed, the newspaper's editor-in-chief, said.
"We dare him to name the person."
Mojeed said it is "unfortunate" that Abubakar could make such an allegation without proof.
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