Aso Villa Wednesday night sent out an alert over “smear campaign in the works against Mr President and his office by disgruntled political elements in the country”.

Femi Adesina, the president’s media adviser who signed the release in Abuja said some “disgruntled elements” who are political enemies of the president have secured the services of an “offshore medium” to launch campaigns of calumny against President Buhari.

“Money and other attractive inducements are being dangled before the online media, and some of them are already complicit, cooking up stories with jejune (simplistic) and unsubstantiated allegations, all to sow seeds of discord and discontent in the country,” Mr. Adesina lamented.

The presidential spokesman did not provide further details on the purported plot, neither did he mention which media platforms are in the workings.

President Buhari has come under attacks in recent months for apparent failings of this administration. In November, the nation entered into the second recession since 2015 under his leadership.

On Tuesday, Financial Times warned that Nigeria risks becoming a failed state if the spate of insecurity and economic downturn in the country are not brought under control.

The London based newspaper in an editorial said Nigeria’s economy has been stalled and standards of living declining since Mr. Buhari assumed office in 2015.

The ravaging insecurity in many parts of the country has also continued to worsen. 

Just last week, over 340 students were kidnapped by bandits in a government school in Kankara, Katsina, the president’s home state, on a day he started his week-long holiday in his country home in Daura, some 190 kilometres away. 

The students were released a week later after some negotiation with the abductors.

Mr. Adesina, however, reassured Nigerians that the president would continue unfazed by the criticisms but would instead be focused on delivering on its various programmes.

“The Buhari administration will not be distracted, and will continue to serve with heart and might, irrespective of all shenanigans,’’ he added.