On his part, Keyamo, in a statement titled, ‘Why Atiku Abubakar is Particularly Jittery About the Kaduna Flag-off,’ posted on his verified Facebook account, alleged that the former Vice President had launched ‘blistering online attack’ against APC as the date of the launch got closer.
The minister accused Atiku of being behind the destruction of APC posters in Kaduna and other parts of the north.
“The common but cheap tactic is to position cameras in certain places, procure individuals to tear down the posters of the President, and then post the videos online. The other tactic is to disseminate disinformation claiming that any support the President is seen to receive in the North is procured only through the massive deployment of financial resources. Hence the fake letter alleging a N2.3 trillion deployment for the Kaduna rally. The intention is to generate a hoopla that will create a groundswell of public opinion that President Tinubu has been “massively rejected” in the North,” Keyamo said.
The Minister also said the reason why Atiku was allegedly doing this was because he did not want to lose the bulk votes which he was hoping to get from the north.
“The reason for this is simple: Atiku Abubakar was seriously banking on the bulk of Northern votes to see him through in 2027, knowing full well that he has no inroads at all into the South, given the mood of the country that the South deserves to complete eight years of the Presidency.
Tinubu’s Panic Cannot Erase APC’s Terrible Record, Says ADC
Meanwhile, the ADC has accused the APC of using allegations of fake news to divert attention from the economic hardship Nigerians were facing under President Tinubu.
The ADC Presidential Campaign Council said the ruling APC should focus on defending its record in government rather than accusing it and Atiku of plotting to discredit the APC’s presidential campaign flag-off.
In a statement, the council’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described the APC’s allegations as an attempt to distract Nigerians from rising living costs and the administration’s economic policies.
Shaibu challenged the APC to provide evidence linking Atiku and the ADC to the alleged circulation of forged documents, manipulated images and deepfake videos ahead of the Kaduna rally.
“Until then, his ‘fake news alert’ is an empty political stunt,” Shaibu said, referring to the statement by Alake.
The ADC spokesperson argued that the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians could not be dismissed as propaganda, citing high petrol and diesel prices, food inflation and growing poverty.
He said the APC’s allegations would not change the daily struggles of households grappling with the cost of food, transportation and other essential needs.
On the security presence near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna, Shaibu questioned the explanation that the vehicle was on routine patrol, asking why the issue had become a subject of political controversy.
He also raised concerns about reports that some APC supporters had travelled long distances to attend the rally and were left sleeping on the streets of Kaduna.
Shaibu further referred to reports of accidents involving APC supporters travelling from Sokoto and Abuja to the event. However, he acknowledged that details of the reported incidents remained unconfirmed.
The ADC spokesperson called on the APC to account for the safety of supporters travelling to the rally, arguing that political mobilisation should not come at the expense of citizens’ welfare.
“Making citizens endure long, hazardous journeys and sleep outdoors simply to create rally optics is political exploitation, not leadership,” he said.
Shaibu also questioned the scope of Tinubu’s campaign activities, alleging that the president was campaigning in only 12 states and suggesting that supporters were being moved between rallies.
He argued that the size of a rally crowd should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of widespread public support, particularly where attendees had been transported from other locations.
“You can hire buses, assemble a crowd and plaster the streets with billboards. You cannot hire consent,” he said.