Tinubu, Atiku Campaign Teams Clash Over Kaduna Rally

The presidential campaign teams of President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have exchanged accusations over the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Kaduna State.

The APC accused Atiku and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of planning to spread fake news and manipulate public opinion ahead of the rally, while the opposition party dismissed the allegation as an attempt to divert attention from the Tinubu administration’s performance.

The controversy followed a statement issued on Saturday by Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, who alleged that Atiku and the ADC were planning to discredit the party’s campaign through misinformation, artificial intelligence-generated content, deepfake videos and fabricated documents.

Alake claimed that the alleged plan targeted Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other APC leaders ahead of the campaign event.

According to him, the controversy began after a photograph showing a security vehicle near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna metropolis circulated online.

However, a report by THE WHISTLER Verify indicated that the photograph originated from a publication by Daily Trust, which reported that police officers were protecting Tinubu’s campaign billboards from possible destruction.

The photograph reportedly showed two armed police officers standing in front of the billboard. Atiku subsequently shared a screenshot of the publication on his social media accounts.

Alake also alleged that the opposition was circulating a purported letter said to have been written by Governor Uba Sani to the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari.

The alleged letter claimed that the Kaduna State Government had released ₦2.3 trillion to host the rally.

The APC spokesperson rejected the claim, arguing that the amount was higher than the combined budgets of Kaduna State for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

He cited the state’s budgets for the three years as ₦458.271 billion, ₦790.439 billion and ₦985.9 billion, respectively, insisting that the figures did not support the alleged expenditure.

Alake said the APC had uncovered what he described as a coordinated attempt by Atiku and the ADC to undermine the party’s campaign flag-off.

He further warned that old or manipulated videos, including deepfakes, could be circulated during the rally to create the impression that Kaduna residents were opposed to the APC.

The campaign council urged Nigerians to disregard what it described as misleading information intended to damage the ruling party’s image.

ADC Demands Evidence From APC

The ADC Presidential Campaign Council rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and an attempt to distract Nigerians from the administration’s record.

Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, challenged the APC to provide evidence linking Atiku or the party to the alleged fake letter and videos.

Shaibu argued that Alake had made serious accusations without providing verifiable proof of the opposition’s involvement.

He called on the APC spokesperson to present names, dates and forensic evidence to substantiate the allegations, describing the warning about fake news as an unsubstantiated political stunt.

The ADC spokesman also criticised the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, pointing to high petrol and diesel prices, rising food costs and widespread poverty as issues affecting Nigerians.

He maintained that the economic difficulties facing citizens could not be dismissed as misinformation or overshadowed by campaign rallies and political statements.

Shaibu also questioned why police officers were reportedly positioned in front of the APC billboard, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the photograph required further explanation.

ADC Raises Concerns Over Rally Arrangements

The opposition campaign council further alleged that some APC supporters had been transported from distant states to Kaduna and left sleeping outdoors ahead of the rally.

Shaibu also referred to reports of accidents involving APC supporters travelling from Sokoto and Abuja to attend the event, although he acknowledged that details of the incidents had not been confirmed.

He accused the ruling party of prioritising the appearance of a large crowd over the safety and dignity of its supporters.

The ADC spokesman also questioned Tinubu’s reported plan to campaign across 12 states, arguing that transporting supporters from one location to another would not necessarily demonstrate genuine public support.

According to him, the number of people attending a rally should not be treated as conclusive evidence of widespread acceptance of a political candidate.

Shaibu maintained that the administration’s economic performance would remain a major issue in the 2027 presidential election, regardless of the accusations exchanged by the two campaign councils.

He argued that Nigerians were more concerned about the rising cost of living, declining purchasing power and what the opposition described as the government’s failure to fulfil its promises.

The exchange highlights the growing political tension between the APC and the ADC as political parties intensify their activities ahead of the 2027 general election.

While the ruling party has accused the opposition of planning to use fabricated content to discredit its campaign, the ADC has challenged the APC to substantiate its claims and defend the administration’s record in government.

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