*Accuses Atiku, ADC of spreading fake news, doctored videos
*Rejects claim Kaduna spent ₦2.3trn to host campaign flag-off
ABUJA — The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of allegedly plotting to discredit the party’s presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna through fake news, manipulated documents and deepfake videos.
The council, in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, alleged that the opposition figures had embarked on a coordinated misinformation campaign targeting President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other APC leaders ahead of the rally.
It claimed that the alleged plan involved the circulation of misleading reports, artificial intelligence-generated content and fabricated documents across mainstream media and social media platforms.
According to the statement, one of the alleged incidents involved a photograph of a security vehicle on routine patrol near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna metropolis.
The council accused Atiku and the ADC of misrepresenting the photograph to suggest that security personnel had been deployed to protect the party’s billboards.
It further alleged that the narrative was subsequently amplified on social media after appearing in a national newspaper.
The APC campaign council also raised concerns over a purported letter circulating online, allegedly written by Governor Uba Sani to the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari.
The alleged letter reportedly claimed that the Kaduna State Government had released ₦2.3 trillion to host the party’s campaign rally.
Dismissing the claim as false, the council argued that the amount was far beyond the state’s annual budget.
“For context, the combined Kaduna State budgets for 2024 (₦458.271 billion), 2025 (₦790.439 billion), and 2026 (₦985.9 billion) are still less than ₦2.3 trillion,” Alake said.
The council alleged that the disputed photograph and purported letter were part of a wider effort to create a negative impression of the campaign flag-off.
It also claimed that old, altered and deepfake videos could be circulated during the rally to portray residents as opposed to the APC and its leaders.
The campaign council urged Nigerians to exercise caution when consuming political content online, particularly materials attributed to public officials or political parties.
It called on the public to reject what it described as deliberate attempts to manipulate public opinion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The statement, however, did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the allegations against Atiku and the ADC.
Neither Atiku nor the ADC’s response to the allegations was included in the statement.
The APC presidential campaign flag-off was scheduled to hold in Kaduna on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
