The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has challenged Minister of Information Dele Alake to provide evidence for his allegations that the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, used artificial intelligence-generated content and deepfake videos to attack President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders.
The council said the minister should produce verifiable evidence linking Atiku or the ADC to the alleged disinformation campaign, including the purported fabricated letter and video.
Alake had accused the opposition camp of deploying what he described as fake news operations, including AI-generated materials, deepfakes and counterfeit documents, to discredit Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other APC figures.
However, reacting in a statement on Saturday, the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, dismissed the allegations as political propaganda.
Shaibu argued that the government could not use accusations of misinformation to deflect attention from the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.
He maintained that the rising cost of food, petrol and transportation remained the major concern for households, insisting that political exchanges over alleged deepfakes would not ease the pressure on citizens.
“Until then, his ‘fake news alert’ is an empty political stunt,” Shaibu said, calling on Alake to provide names, dates and forensic findings to substantiate his claims.
The ADC campaign council maintained that the administration’s economic record should be the subject of public scrutiny rather than allegations against opposition figures.
Shaibu cited petrol prices of about ₦1,400 per litre, diesel prices above ₦2,000 and food inflation hovering around 20 per cent as examples of the financial pressures facing Nigerians.
He argued that the hardship experienced by households could not be dismissed as fabricated information and insisted that voters would ultimately assess the Tinubu administration based on its impact on their living conditions.
According to him, attacks against Atiku would do little to address the difficulties confronting ordinary Nigerians.
“Alake’s attack on Atiku will not reduce the cost of a meal by one naira,” he added.
ADC questions security arrangements at Kaduna rally
Shaibu also questioned aspects of the APC presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna, including reports concerning a vehicle seen near an APC billboard.
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He challenged the explanation that the vehicle was conducting a routine patrol, asking why a campaign billboard would require such protection.
The ADC spokesman further raised concerns over reports that some APC supporters had travelled from distant states and were left sleeping on the streets of Kaduna.
He also referred to reports of accidents involving supporters travelling from Sokoto and Abuja to attend the rally. However, details of the reported incidents were not confirmed in the statement.
Shaibu urged the APC to take responsibility for the safety and welfare of supporters travelling to its campaign events.
He condemned what he described as the use of citizens to create an impression of popular support, arguing that supporters should not be exposed to unnecessary hardship for political appearances.
“Making citizens endure long, hazardous journeys and sleep outdoors simply to create rally optics is political exploitation, not leadership,” he said.
The ADC campaign council maintained that the ruling party’s handling of the economy, rather than its accusations against opposition figures, would be a major factor in how Nigerians judge the administration at the ballot box.