Nigeria’s celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji has denied media speculation that she received N240 million from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki for media hype during the last general election.
She described the report which went viral on the internet early in the week as another failed plot by ‘bad belle people looking for ways to bring a woman down’.
The controversial blogger, who hosted a lavish house-warming party last Sunday in her newly acquired ‘half a billion Naira’ mansion situated in Banana Island, Lagos trended massively on Twitter after social and political commentator, Kayode Ogundamisi fingered her as one of the beneficiaries of the N32 billion campaign largess.
Ogundamisi, a critic whose independent op-ed articles for major Nigerian online media outlets, caused internet buzz when wrote on his Facebook page:
“Flash! Popular Female Blogger recieved N240 Million from #DasukiGate? Dudafa Waripamo SA Domestic to former President Goodluck Jonathan said he gave N240m to a female popular blogger in Lagos.”
The rumour took a sensational twist when another controversial female blogger/journalist and activist, Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo added dished fleshy details to Linda’s alleged romance with the ousted government.
Kemi who is also the editor of #HNNAfrica, a world and health news blog, reportedly claimed that Linda received her multi-million mansion as a gift from a politician in exchange for not running a story against some politicians.
However, Linda in her reaction, dismissed the allegations as untrue and another propaganda account designed to bring her down. Below is Miss Ikeji’s response posted on her blog:
“People are reacting and some actually believe it! That PDP or someone in the party gave me N240m? For what? Advert? This was why I didn’t want to get politics advert money in the first place o…and but then some of you advised that I do when I asked here and now see the gbege that I have entered…lol.
“But seriously for the record…no party registered or unregistered, no human being dead or alive gave me N240m for anything. The only advert I did for PDP was a page background take-over for former President Jonathan… and they asked for the space after I did a page background take-over for APC’s Akinwunmi Ambode. (I’m sure you all saw it).
The two parties paid me same amount. I had a politics advert rate which I sent to everyone who wanted to advertise on LIB! And it was a few millions …which some of you followed to chop inside in the giveaway that April…lol. #Kidding!
“Anyway, all these bad belle people looking for ways to bring a woman down…like I always say…you can’t! Except you’re mightier than God! Whether you like it or not, I’m a hardworking young woman who God chose to bless the work of her hand and He is using me to bless others. Get over it! I am here to stay! Not going nowhere! *wink*.”
By Olisemeka Obeche