Politico.ng hacked after 2027 election projection

The website of Nigerian online newspaper, Politico.ng, has reportedly been hacked, with its publisher, Lai Omotola, blaming the attack on what he described as “enemies of Nigeria.”

Omotola disclosed this in Lagos on Sunday, expressing concern that the hacking might be linked to the newspaper’s recent projection of the likely outcome of the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the cyberattack occurred shortly after Politico.ng published a projection by its Political Intelligence Group (PIG), which forecast victory for President Bola Tinubu in 20 states in the 2027 election.

The projection gave former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, victory in nine states, while Labour Party candidate Peter Obi was projected to win eight states.

Omotola said the projection had attracted significant attention on social media and among political stakeholders since its publication.

While the forecast received commendation from some social media users and political followers, it also triggered criticism from supporters of opposition parties.

Some opposition supporters reportedly dismissed the projection as a sponsored exercise by the ruling party aimed at influencing public perception ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Paul Ibe, a spokesman for one of the leading opposition contenders, also rejected the projection, describing it as lacking credibility and urging Nigerians not to rely on its outcome.

Omotola, however, said Politico.ng would not abandon the exercise despite the controversy surrounding its projection.

He vowed that the Political Intelligence Group would continue to publish monthly updates on the forecast until the end of the year.

The publisher stressed that the projection was a continuing exercise and not a final prediction, adding that its outcome could change as political developments unfold.

He also assured readers that efforts were underway to restore the hacked website and return it to normal operation as soon as possible.

Dear Vows