By The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, came under fire on social media, following his claim that 90 per cent of Northerners don’t use social media.
Speaking on Friday morning in an exclusive interview with Arise TV, the former Vice President had said the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi has limited chances to win the 2023 polls, though he enjoys a strong support base on social media.
“It is very difficult to expect a miracle to happen, simply because Peter Obi is in the Labour Party. After all, they were saying through social media, they had more than one million votes in Osun state,” he said.
“But how many votes turned for the Labour Party? And then again, mark you, you’re talking about social media. In the north, 90 percent of our people are not tuned to social media.”
However, Nigerians on popular microblogging platform, Twitter appeared to have been angered by the claim made by the presidential hopeful, as seen in their reactions.
Here are some of the tweets below:
85% of APC voters are not online – Bashir
90% of Arewa voters are not on Social media – Atiku
The weaponization of poverty and illiteracy was deliberate.
Kudos to everyone
— IKECHUKWU (@iykimo) July 22, 2022
A northern statesman, former VP, & a presidential aspirant going on TV to say that “90% of northerners are not on social media” in this technology age is only highlighting the state of underdevelopment in the north. It’s not something you proudly say on TV. But they love it
— Sarki. (@Waspapping_) July 22, 2022
'90% of Northerners are not on social media' is not something an elder statesman, a former vice president from the North, should ever say on TV.
That statistics could be true but it should never be a bragging right in 2022. It shows how underdeveloped the North is. Sad.
— Arinze Odira (@CaptainArinze) July 22, 2022
Atiku abubakar saying 90% of northerners are not on social media is a lie, he insults us in an attempt to shade peter obi and his supporters. The truth is alot of northerners are on social media, most of our people are in Facebook and Instagram.
— Al’ameen 💫 (@A__yabo) July 22, 2022
Atiku: 90% of northerners are not on social media.
This is why they keep my people poor & uneducated. The northern elites have weaponized poverty & illiteracy over the years & I say Enough is Enough.
Truth be said, The North needs Peter Obi more than any other part of Nigeria
— Dr Hafsatu Danladi (PhD) (@NigeriaRenew) July 22, 2022
After avoiding the media for more than 8yrs, all we could get from Atiku was a pre-recorded interview. Smh.. He even told the world the North has the lowest internet penetration, so, how come northerners have the highest online @inecnigeria PVC registration? He is not in touch.
— Aji Bussu Onye Mpiawa azụ 🇨🇮 (@AfamDeluxo) July 22, 2022
“90% of Northerners are not on social media,” is not something an elder statesman & a former VP, should say on Arise TV, a National Television. The data is debatable, but it should never be a bragging right in 2022. If anything, Atiku portrayed the North as underdeveloped.
— NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) July 22, 2022
