Former Vice President Arch. Namadi Sambo has said that Mr Umar Sani has been his spokesperson since 2016, saying that all public opinions he expresses are his personal views and not his.
Umar, also known as ‘Dekat’, has recently been very vocal in expressing his political views. Unfortunately, some media reports attribute those opinions to the former Vice President.
In a statement issued over the weekend and made available to newsmen by an aide to Arch, Sambo, Yinka Ibrahim advised media organisations to note that Mr Sani is no longer authorised to speak for the former Vice President.
” It should, therefore, be placed on record, once again, that Umar Sani is no longer authorised to speak on behalf of former Vice President Namadi Sambo.”
The statement further said: “It has come to our attention that recent media reports have mistakenly attributed Mr Sani’s personal views to former Vice President Sambo. We categorically refute these misrepresentations.
“The former Vice President’s office maintains that only statements released through its designated official channels carry the weight of his views and stance on issues.
“We acknowledge that Mr. Sani previously served as Director General of Media and Publicity and as Senior Special Assistant on Media during the tenure of former Vice President Sambo—first as Governor of Kaduna State and later as Vice President of Nigeria.
“However, since 2016, Mr Sani has ceased to be associated with the former Vice President’s official communications. Any public statements or opinions now expressed by Umar Sani are solely his own and do not represent, endorse, or reflect the views of former Vice President Sambo.”
The statement urged all media outlets and members of the public to disregard any statements or political opinions attributed to former Vice President Sambo through Umar Sani.
“Accurate public discourse is essential, and only verified communications issued by our office should be considered authoritative. For any further inquiries or official clarifications, don‘t hesitate to contact our office directly,“ the statement added.
