APC accuses Atiku, ADC of plot to discredit Kaduna rally

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of plotting to discredit the party’s presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Dele Alake, spokesperson for the council, alleged that Atiku and the ADC had deployed propaganda, fake news and doctored materials to undermine the rally.

Alake claimed that the alleged plot involved the use of artificial intelligence, deepfake videos and counterfeit documents to mislead the public and damage the images of President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other APC leaders.

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He cited a photograph of a security vehicle on patrol near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna metropolis, which he said was misrepresented as evidence that security operatives had been deployed to protect the billboard.

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

The APC spokesperson also alleged that another document circulating online, purportedly written by Governor Uba Sani to the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, falsely claimed that the state government had released N2.3 trillion to host the rally.

Alake dismissed the alleged expenditure as implausible, arguing that the amount exceeded Kaduna State’s combined budgets for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

He put the state’s budgets for the three years at N458.271 billion, N790.439 billion and N985.9 billion, respectively.

The APC spokesperson further alleged that old, doctored and deepfake videos would be circulated during the rally to create the impression that residents were opposed to the party.

He urged Nigerians to be vigilant and reject what he described as attempts to manipulate public opinion.

Alake also criticised Atiku and the ADC, accusing them of resorting to disinformation in their quest for political power.

The allegations were contained in a statement titled, “Fake News Alert: Atiku Abubakar and ADC’s Plot to Discredit APC Presidential Campaign Flag-Off in Kaduna.”

The statement did not provide independent evidence linking Atiku or the ADC to the alleged disinformation campaign.