Last week on social media, presidential contenders made promises, a former president told his story, and two combatants’ paths crossed...

As campaigning for next year’s elections officially kicked off last week, the two leading gladiators – President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar – launched their manifestoes.

With many Nigerians not particular about the contents of both plans due to a general distrust of politicians, the President’s action plan became the talking point because of the design of the campaign slogan amid allegations of plagiarism.

According to observers, including many members of the PDP, the logo and mantra were “stolen” from the Rex Institute with little change.

In defence of the document, the President’s aide on new media Bashir Ahmed, who posted the controversial image on his twitter account, said it’s an adaptation shared widely by supporters of the President but not the official logo.

However in a totally bizarre reaction, the director of communications for the President’s campaign, Festus Keyamo, claimed the said logo was designed by the PDP, despite it being shared on the President’s verified twitter account. This heralded a week in which fake news - and allegations of fake news -held sway.

For example, service chiefs were seen at the Next Level launch. After the Atiku campaign complained about the presence of military chiefs, it was revealed that “they left before the event started when they

realised it was a political event, according to another media aide of the President, Garba Shehu.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan clocked 61 and launched a book titled My Transition Hours which recounted events during his presidency. Expectedly, the autobiography was a trending topic during the week, with reactions pouring in from friends and foes alike. Borno governor, Kashim Shettima described it as “an elementary book of fiction.”

Interestingly, President Jonathan raised the alarm through his twitter handle that a pirated version of the book is being sold online. The pirated PDF document has 254 pages against the original which has 194 pages. This poses the question, what has been added to the former president’s story?

He wasn’t the only one that had to make clarifications to the public. INEC needed to refute reports circulating on social media that it had given opportunities for PVC registration.

A notable occurrence at the launch of My Transition Hours was the meeting between APC chairman, Adams Oshiomole, and Senate president, Bukola Saraki. Both men have been at loggerheads over the past few months and have taken turns in advising each other to resign their respective positions.

On closer inspection, the Senate president’s vice-like grip on the APC chairman is proof - if any was needed – that they won’t be sheathing swords anytime soon.

Social media reacted to a report that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, promised that the south east region of the country will produce the next president if they support the APC’s candidate, President Buhari.

This should be good news but, the South West zone was also made a similar promise recently by another member of the government in the person of Babatunde Fashola, prompting accusations of duplicity. Politicians! You take everything they say with a pinch of salt.

Former Education minister, Oby Ezekwesili, would have us believe she is different from the current crop of leaders. She made a case for herself as a guest of Christiane Amanpour on CNN.

She was also one of a few that challenged the government on social media to make a statement regarding reports that scores of Nigerian soldiers were killed by terrorists in the North East of the country.

The government has been mute on the issue. But social media has amplified it.