The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has denied allegations that the Federal Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing the claim as false and challenging its author, Timi Frank, to provide evidence.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had alleged that the Nigerian Government was plotting to assassinate Atiku, the party’s presidential candidate.
Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC PCC, described the allegation as grave and urged security agencies to invite Frank to substantiate his claim.
“This is a grave allegation that Mr Frank must prove,” Alake said, urging Frank to provide any information in his possession to enable a prompt investigation.
He added that any credible threat to life must be treated seriously, irrespective of political affiliation.
The APC PCC categorically rejected the allegation, insisting that neither the Presidency nor the campaign council was involved in any plot to assassinate Atiku or any opposition figure.
The council also dismissed claims that security personnel attached to the former vice president had been withdrawn, insisting that he remained protected by the police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
“The security around the ADC Presidential candidate has never been compromised,” Alake said.
He explained that Atiku, as a former vice president, enjoyed two levels of state-funded security protection.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu had also increased security protection for Atiku ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Alake said Tinubu recently directed security agencies to reinforce and increase protection for all presidential, vice-presidential, governorship and deputy governorship candidates across the country.
Defending the President’s democratic credentials, the APC PCC said Tinubu recognised opposition politics as an essential component of Nigeria’s 27-year-old democracy.
“For 16 years in Nigeria, President Tinubu was the face of opposition, and he galvanised the opposition movement to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party as a governing party in Nigeria in 2015,” the statement said.
The council accused Frank of engaging in political rabble-rousing, alleging that some opposition figures had made a habit of issuing open letters and tagging foreign leaders and international organisations in social media posts to attract attention.
It warned that politicians and their supporters could make provocative statements and frivolous allegations as the country moved deeper into the campaign season ahead of the 2027 elections.
The council, however, urged political candidates, parties and their supporters to exercise restraint and ensure that public statements were factual and responsible.
It called on political actors to focus on issues affecting Nigerians and avoid statements capable of triggering unnecessary tension.
“Let our political competition be peaceful, lawful, and focused on the big issues that matter to Nigerians, not character assassination or wild, baseless allegations,” Alake said.