A group named Agents of Change has called out SaharaReporters, an online media platform over its allegation that Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq is using public funds to fund the governorship campaign of a former Chief of Air Staff.

The media platform alleged that Sadiya Umar Farouq is funding Sadique Abubakar’s election bid.

According to the group, "SaharaReporters is in its usual nature of dragging golden names in the mud for traffic, out again to toy with the good name of the minister by trying to add her name to any negative story aimed at tarnishing her image. SaharaReporters is clearly on a campaign of calumny against the Honourable Minister".

The group urged the Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq to stay focused on her job and not be distracted by attempts by SaharaReporters or any media platform to drag her name in the mud in the course of this electioneering season.

“The Minister who is no less a leader, a focused one at that, has chosen to stay focused on her job of overseeing the Humanitarian ministry as mandated by Mr President. The last time we checked, that is what she is pre-occupied with. Where SaharaReporters saw her funding anybody’s election before no less the personality of former Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, is what SaharaReporters have to clarify as in law ‘he who must allege must prove’.

“We make bold to say the allegation by SaharaReporters against the minister is not just false but a subtle attempt to distract the Minister in the good works she is currently doing for Nigeria in support of President Buhari’s administration,” the group’s Spokesperson, Yakubu Sabo, said.