APC accuses Atiku, ADC of plot to discredit Kaduna campaign rally

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress of plotting to discredit its 2027 presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna through alleged fake news, deepfake videos and fabricated documents.

The council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, made the allegation in a statement on Saturday, October 24, claiming that the opposition figures planned to manipulate public opinion and portray the APC rally and its leaders negatively.

Alake alleged that the purported campaign involved the use of artificial intelligence, doctored videos and counterfeit documents to spread misinformation across social media and mainstream news platforms.

He cited the circulation of a photograph showing a security vehicle near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna, which he claimed was misrepresented as evidence that security agents had been deployed to protect the party’s billboards.

According to him, the narrative was subsequently published by a national newspaper and shared by Atiku on his official social media accounts.

The APC campaign council also alleged that a letter purportedly written by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani to the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, was circulated online.

The alleged letter reportedly claimed that the Kaduna State Government released N2.3 trillion to host the campaign rally.

Describing the claim as false, Alake argued that the amount exceeded Kaduna State’s combined budgets for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

He cited the state’s budgets as N458.271 billion for 2024, N790.439 billion for 2025 and N985.9 billion for 2026.

The APC spokesperson further alleged that opposition operatives planned to circulate old, doctored and deepfake videos during the rally to create the impression that residents were opposed to the ruling party.

“We hereby use this opportunity to alert the general public about this malicious and ignoble plan,” Alake said.

He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against what he described as attempts to manipulate public opinion ahead of the 2027 general election.

Alake also criticised Atiku and the ADC, accusing them of resorting to propaganda in their pursuit of political power.

The allegations come as the APC prepares to hold its presidential campaign flag-off at Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna, with President Bola Tinubu, APC governors and other party leaders expected to attend.

The statement did not provide independent evidence linking Atiku or the ADC to the alleged disinformation campaign. The allegations could not be independently verified from the statement, and no response from Atiku or the ADC was included.