Atiku, ADC plot to discredit Kaduna campaign flag-off – APC-PCC

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has raised an alarm over what it described as a plot by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to discredit the party’s presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, the council said it had uncovered a plan to misinform the public through fake news, artificial intelligence, deepfake videos and counterfeit documents. It accused Atiku and the ADC of coordinating the effort to manipulate public opinion and undermine President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other party leaders.

“In the last 24 hours, we have seen these tactics deployed to mislead the unsuspecting public,” Alake said. He cited a photograph of a security vehicle on routine patrol near an APC billboard in Kaduna, which he said was twisted to suggest the vehicle was deployed to protect the billboards. Alake said the story was then planted in a national newspaper and amplified by Atiku on social media.

“Atiku and the ADC propaganda machinery twisted the narrative, claiming the security agents were there to protect the APC billboards in Kaduna. They then planted the story in a national newspaper known for its anti-government and anti-APC editorial stance,” he said.

The council also dismissed a letter circulating online, said to be from Governor Uba Sani to the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, claiming N2.3 trillion was released by the Kaduna State Government to host the rally. Alake described the figure as “senseless and utterly baseless” and said it defied basic common sense.

“We are still at a loss as to how anyone can imagine and concoct this senseless and utterly baseless lie that defies logic and basic common sense. How much is the entire annual revenue of Kaduna State, or any state, for that matter, that a state would spend N2.3 trillion to host a rally?” he said.

He provided context: Kaduna State’s budgets for 2024, 2025 and 2026 were N458.271 billion, N790.439 billion and N985.9 billion respectively. The combined total of the three years is still less than N2.3 trillion.

“The N2.3 trillion that Atiku and his hirelings are circulating online is more than Kaduna State’s annual budget for three years,” Alake said.

The council said more disinformation was planned as the rally got underway, including old and doctored videos meant to suggest public resentment. It urged Nigerians to be vigilant and reject what it called a desperate attempt to grab power.

“It is a fact that Atiku Abubakar and the ADC, his special-purpose vehicle, are incapable of winning any election. They will pull any strings, no matter how despicable and atrocious, to stay afloat in their desperate bid to grab power at all costs,” Alake said.

The APC flag-off is holding in Kaduna, the home state of the party’s National Chairman and a key northern battleground. President Tinubu is seeking re-election in the January 16, 2027 presidential poll.