By Our Correspondent

National News – A Lagos State governorship aspirant, Samuel Ajose, has denied endorsing Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Ajose made this clarification on Thursday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, describing a widely circulated press release as false, misleading, and unauthorized.

According to Ajose, the statement—currently trending across Nigerian media—wrongly attributed to him support for both Hamzat’s candidacy and decisions of the state’s Governance Advisory Council.

He stressed that he neither issued nor approved such a release, distancing his campaign from the claims entirely.

The politician warned that the publication was a deliberate attempt to manipulate public opinion and damage his political reputation ahead of party primaries.

He called on journalists, media houses, and the public to disregard the document and refrain from sharing unverified information.

Ajose further disclosed that he had no involvement in any decision-making process linked to the Governance Advisory Council, contradicting claims made in the disputed statement.

He emphasized that his campaign remains independent and focused on its own agenda within the party.

In a strong legal warning, Ajose demanded an immediate retraction and deletion of the alleged fake press release within 12 hours.

He stated that failure to comply would result in legal action against individuals or organizations responsible for its circulation, citing reputational and electoral damages.

The controversy highlights growing tensions within Lagos APC circles as aspirants position themselves ahead of upcoming governorship contests.

It also underscores the increasing role of misinformation in Nigeria’s political landscape and the need for verification before publication.

Ajose reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and urged supporters to rely only on official communication channels from his campaign.