The Director, Strategic Communications for President Muhammadu Buhari campaign Organisation (BCO), Festus Keyamo, has alleged that supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party designed the NEXT LEVEL logo of the President’s reelection bid.
Keyamo, SAN, said this in an interview on the Africa Independent Television on Tuesday.
Keyamo’s claim came amid the allegations of plagiarism trailing Mr. President’s NEXT LEVEL campaign logo, as a cross section of Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions about it on social media.
Nigerians had identified curious similarities between the NEXT LEVEL logo, which the President tweeted on Monday; and that of the ‘Next Level’ project of the Winthrop University’s Rex Institute for Educational Renewal and Partnerships, located in South Carolina, United States.
However, while the President’s campaign logo incorporated green and red, the institute’s was black and burgundy.
The NEXT LEVEL logo was retweeted via the Presidency’s official Twitter handle, and it was on the President’s Twitter page as of 7:48 pm on Tuesday.
Some Nigerians on Twitter, reacting to the plagiarism allegations, derided Buhari, Keyamo and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for putting the blame on the PDP.
Gimba Kakanda said, “They claimed the logo we have been sharing isn’t their campaign logo, but this stolen version was shared from the verified account of President Buhari. #NextLevel of lies.”
Anthony Ehilebo also stated, “What kind of #NextLevel is Buhari promising us? Your logo is plagiarised!
Your official campaign logo. See ehn, I have learnt to act on what people show me about themselves: Plagiarising kind of people. Dishonest lot. #NextLevel 419. One chance kind of people.”
In the same vein, Jack Robinson said, “Festus Keyamo went on TV to accuse PDP of creating that logo when Buhari’s official Twitter account posted it first. How does that add up? Who’s this guy?”
Gen Vladimir also said, “They’ve not won re-election and they’re already denying their logo. Same logo sent from the verified accounts of Buhari. Do I need to say more?”
While referencing the President’s tweet with the controversial logo, Oyewole Michael stated, “Dear Boda Festus Keyamo @fkeyamo, since you claimed on @aitkakaaki that it was PDP who redesigned your original logo and called us fraud, OK, Buhari is also a PDP member, shey? This is the same logo you claimed is not for the APC. Oga, days of propagandist campaigns are over!”
Similarly, @ITTA2019 said, “First it was the now famous ‘I am for everybody, I am for nobody’ inaugural speech that was plagiarised. We thought we had seen the end of plagiarism.
“The #NEXTLEVEL logo has gone missing and original owners of it are asking questions. Buhari and his minions lack creativity.”
Okenfe Lebarty also stated, “Whoever is responsible for this major screw up in President Buhari’s re-election orbit should be dealt with quickly. What sort of lazy work is this? Plagiarism gone http://wrong. How do you copy and paste (a) logo? With the billions at their disposal @Omojuwa. Pure laziness.”
Sam Uloko simply tweeted, “Copy copy incompetent leaders and followers…”
Jide Akintunde said, “President Buhari could only hire people who engage in plagiarism to write some of his key speeches and now the design of his campaign logo. Like attracts like.”
John Grace said, “APC lacks vision. APC stole air Nigeria (Nigeria Air) logo. APC stole Nextlevel. APC will steal Atikuplan sooner or later because Buhari doesn’t have scores card four years in power.”
Some Nigerians, on the other hand, expressed support for the President’s re-election bid.
Adamu Digiri said, “Sir, we are together with you and we like your administration. But sir, the issue of police pension and benefits was very bad and, sir, you have to put eyes on that. Baba and Yemi till 2023.” – Punch.
