The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of allegedly planning a misinformation campaign to undermine the party’s presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) alleged that the opposition intended to deploy artificial intelligence-generated videos, fabricated documents and misleading media reports to damage the image of President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other party leaders.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Saturday, October 24, 2026, by the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, ahead of the campaign event in Kaduna.
According to the council, the alleged operation was designed to influence public opinion by circulating misleading information through social media platforms and mainstream news outlets.
Alake claimed that the council had uncovered a coordinated attempt to create negative publicity around the rally, warning that Nigerians should exercise caution when encountering sensational political reports and digital content.
He alleged that the campaign had already begun, pointing to two incidents involving a photograph of a security vehicle and a purported letter concerning the funding of the rally.
The council maintained that the incidents were connected to a broader effort to portray the APC and its leaders negatively before and during the campaign flag-off.
However, the allegations against Atiku and the ADC were made by the APC-PCC, and the statement did not independently establish their involvement in the purported operation.
APC questions narrative about security vehicle
One of the incidents cited by the campaign council involved a photograph showing a security vehicle reportedly stationed at a junction near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna metropolis.
Alake alleged that the image was taken out of context and used to suggest that security personnel had been deployed specifically to protect the ruling party’s campaign materials.
According to the spokesperson, the vehicle was carrying out a routine patrol when it was photographed near the billboard.
He claimed that the circumstances surrounding the photograph were subsequently misrepresented, creating a narrative that suggested the security agents were assigned to provide special protection for APC campaign advertisements.
The council further alleged that a national newspaper published a report based on the disputed account, after which Atiku shared the story on his official social media platforms.
Alake described the sequence of events as evidence of what he considered a coordinated effort to amplify a misleading narrative and attract public attention.
The APC-PCC argued that the incident demonstrated how an ordinary security operation could be presented differently to generate controversy during a politically sensitive period.
It did not, however, provide independent evidence in the statement establishing that Atiku or the ADC had orchestrated the publication or distribution of the photograph.
Council disputes N2.3 trillion rally funding claim
The second incident involved a letter circulating online that was purportedly written by Governor Uba Sani and addressed to Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
According to the council, the document claimed that the Kaduna State Government had released N2.3 trillion to finance the APC campaign rally.
Alake rejected the reported expenditure figure, describing the claim as unreasonable and inconsistent with the state’s budgetary allocations.
He questioned how Kaduna State could spend N2.3 trillion on a single political gathering when the amount exceeded the state’s annual budget figures for the years cited in the statement.
To support its argument, the council referenced Kaduna State’s budgets of N458.271 billion for 2024, N790.439 billion for 2025 and N985.9 billion for 2026.
The three figures, taken together, amount to approximately N2.235 trillion, which is below the N2.3 trillion cited in the purported letter.
The council used the comparison to challenge the credibility of the alleged document and questioned the circumstances under which such a large expenditure could have been attributed to the state government.
Alake maintained that the claim was fabricated and intended to generate public outrage over the cost of organising the rally.
The statement did not include an independent forensic examination of the purported letter or a separate confirmation from the Kaduna State Government regarding its authenticity.
Consequently, the claim about the N2.3 trillion expenditure remains disputed and should not be treated as an established financial transaction.
APC warns of possible deepfake videos
Beyond the two incidents, the campaign council alleged that more misleading materials could emerge online as the Kaduna rally progressed.
Alake claimed that individuals allegedly working with the opposition were preparing to circulate old footage, manipulated recordings and artificial intelligence-generated videos to create the impression that residents were dissatisfied with the APC campaign.
He warned that such content could be presented as recent footage from the rally, potentially misleading Nigerians about public reactions to the event.
The council urged citizens to verify the origin of videos, photographs and documents before sharing them, particularly when the materials contain politically sensitive claims.
Deepfake technology can be used to manipulate a person’s appearance, voice or actions in ways that make fabricated recordings appear authentic.
Nevertheless, the existence of such technology does not establish that a particular video is fake or that a named individual is responsible for its production.
The APC-PCC called on the public to assess political information carefully and avoid spreading unverified reports that could influence perceptions of the campaign.
Council criticises Atiku and ADC
In its statement, the council accused Atiku and the ADC of pursuing tactics it described as desperate attempts to undermine the ruling party.
Alake questioned the opposition’s electoral prospects and alleged that its political activities were aimed at generating controversy rather than engaging Nigerians through credible campaign messages.
He also described the ADC as a political vehicle for Atiku and claimed that the opposition would resort to unacceptable methods in its pursuit of power.
The comments reflected the APC-PCC’s political position as the parties compete for public support.
The council called on Nigerians to reject what it characterised as efforts to manipulate public opinion and discredit the APC’s leadership.
It maintained that the public needed to remain vigilant against fabricated documents, manipulated images and misleading reports that could circulate before or during the campaign.
Neither Atiku nor the ADC’s response to the specific allegations was included in the statement provided by the council.
The allegations therefore remain the APC-PCC’s account of the incidents, pending independent verification and any response from the opposition.
As political activities continue, the controversy highlights the importance of verifying digital content and distinguishing between substantiated information and claims made by rival political groups.
The council insisted that its warning was intended to protect the integrity of the Kaduna campaign event and prevent what it described as a deliberate attempt to mislead Nigerians.
It urged citizens to rely on credible information and examine the authenticity of controversial political content before accepting or sharing it.
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