By Owolabi Olayinka Adenusi Veteran journalist and News Director of TVC News, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, has recently come under attack amid the growing political activities and heightened tensions ahead of the 2027 general election. With the release of the election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political activities across……
By Owolabi Olayinka Adenusi
Veteran journalist and News Director of TVC News, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, has recently come under attack amid the growing political activities and heightened tensions ahead of the 2027 general election.
With the release of the election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political activities across the country are expected to intensify. As politicians and their supporters begin to position themselves for the 2027 contest, the political space is already witnessing increased propaganda, misinformation, accusations and counter-accusations.
Against this backdrop, journalists and media professionals perceived to have sympathies toward particular political parties or political figures may increasingly become targets of attacks and attempts to undermine their credibility.
Otitoju, a veteran journalist and prominent television commentator, appears to have become a subject of such attacks. Some individuals and online commentators have accused him of being sympathetic to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. While such political perceptions are not unusual in an increasingly polarised environment, the circulation of fabricated statements attributed to journalists raises a more serious concern about misinformation and deliberate attempts to damage reputations.
Another Controversy Involving Tinubu
Recently, Otitoju came under criticism on social media following claims that he had predicted victory for the APC governorship candidate in the Osun State election on his Journalists’ Hangout programme.
However, the claim was subsequently challenged, with fact-checking indicating that the statement attributed to him was not an accurate representation of what he said. It is against this background that another controversial post attributed to the journalist has surfaced online.
The latest post, circulated on X, purportedly quoted Otitoju as saying that he opposed the release or investigation of documents relating to an alleged drug-forfeiture matter involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a case originating from Chicago.
…. attempted to present the journalist as having made contradictory statements about the matter at different times.
According to the viral post, Otitoju allegedly said during the 2022 presidential campaign on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout:
“I swear to God. I can swear with my life and that of my first child that Presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu never had anything to do with drugs while he was in the US. How can a 1st class graduate be doing drugs? Do these liars know what it means to graduate with a 1st class in an American University? It’s all lies from those online Obidients. This is why I don’t take all those ranting from those online Obidients seriously.”
The same post then attributed another statement to Otitoju, allegedly made on August 21, 2026, concerning the possible release of documents relating to the matter.
It claimed he said:
“If the US release those files I will conclude that they just want to destroy our democracy. How can they be considering releasing those files that’s like 40 years old at this era when Nigeria economy is booming and stabilizing and at a time when the president is delivering on all his campaign promises. Let’s watch and see. But I know they won’t release it. It is of no use to Nigerian.”
…. further claimed that both statements were made by Otitoju on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout, thereby attempting to create the impression that the journalist had contradicted himself.
Otitoju Disowns the Statement
However, Otitoju has categorically denied making the statements attributed to him. Reacting to the viral post on his Facebook page, the journalist described it as a fabrication and challenged those circulating it to produce evidence showing where he made the alleged comments.
Otitoju wrote: “Many people have called me in respect of this X post below. Pure and total fabrication by an Oloriburuku content creator. There was no time that I said this on Facebook, on YouTube or anywhere for that matter.
“Bring the videos where I said all of these if you are man enough. You want to use me to trend and draw attention to your hapless life, abi. But you will pay for this spectacular lie against me.”
His response is significant because the viral publication presents the statements as direct quotations from him and claims that they were made on a specific television programme. Otitoju has expressly disowned the statements and challenged the authors and promoters of the post to provide the purported recordings.
Unless such recordings or credible primary evidence are produced, the statements should not be presented as genuine quotations from the journalist.
Politics, Propaganda and the Danger of fabricated content
The episode highlights a broader and increasingly worrying trend in Nigeria’s political environment: the use of fabricated social media content to create false narratives around public figures.
As the country moves closer to the 2027 elections, social media is likely to become an even more important battleground for political communication. While social platforms provide citizens with opportunities to express their opinions and scrutinise public officials, they can also be exploited to circulate manipulated screenshots, fake quotations, doctored videos and statements falsely attributed to prominent individuals.
Journalists and media organisations are particularly vulnerable because their professional credibility can be damaged by a single fabricated post that spreads rapidly before it can be verified or corrected.
In Otitoju’s case, the alleged statement seeks not only to portray him as a partisan journalist but also to create the impression that he has taken a position on a politically sensitive matter and subsequently contradicted himself.
Such tactics can have serious consequences, especially when members of the public share controversial claims without checking their origin or looking for the full context.
A Warning ahead of 2027
The incident should serve as a warning to politicians, journalists, social media users and members of the public.
Political disagreements are an essential part of democracy, and public officials, journalists and other influential figures should be open to legitimate criticism and scrutiny. However, criticism should be based on verifiable facts rather than fabricated statements.
Those who encounter controversial claims attributed to public figures should make reasonable efforts to establish whether the individual actually made the statement. Where a quotation is said to have been made on a television programme, for instance, the relevant video or programme recording should be produced before the quotation is treated as authentic.
The responsibility also lies with political actors and online content creators to resist the temptation to manufacture controversial material simply to generate engagement, attract followers or damage the reputation of individuals they disagree with.
The growing sophistication of digital manipulation makes this responsibility even more important. A fabricated statement can be created within minutes, but correcting it after it has gone viral can take considerably longer.
For Otitoju, the latest controversy appears to be another attempt to draw him into a political battle and undermine his credibility as a journalist and broadcaster. His response suggests that he has chosen to confront the allegation directly rather than allow the claim to go unanswered.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with Otitoju’s views, the standard should remain the same: people should be judged by what they actually said and did, not by statements manufactured and placed in their mouths.
As the 2027 election season approaches, Nigerians should expect more political narratives, counter-narratives and attempts to influence public opinion. The best defence against such manipulation is vigilance, verification and a commitment to credible information.
The controversy surrounding the alleged Otitoju quotation therefore goes beyond one journalist. It is a reminder of the growing challenge posed by misinformation and political propaganda in Nigeria’s digital space—and of the need for citizens to verify before they share.
Owolabi Olayinka Adenusi is a media practitioner based in Yola, Adamawa State.
