The ADC Presidential Campaign Council has sharply rebutted the ruling APC, accusing the Tinubu administration of deflecting from its economic record with unsubstantiated allegations and questionable campaign tactics. In a statement released on 24 October 2026, Phrank Shaibu, the council's Director of Strategic Communication, dismissed claims made by APC spokesman Dele Alake as politically motivated and unsupported by facts.
ADC Demands Evidence for Deepfake Allegations
Alake had alleged that Atiku Abubakar and the ADC were behind a "devious plan" involving artificial intelligence manipulation and deepfake content. Shaibu challenged Alake to produce names, dates and forensic findings, saying that without such evidence, the accusation amounted to nothing more than an empty political stunt.
Shaibu also challenged the APC's account of a vehicle spotted near one of its campaign billboards in Kaduna, which a party official identified as a routine patrol. More seriously, the statement raised concerns about reports of an accident involving APC supporters travelling to a rally from both Sokoto and Abuja. The ADC acknowledged that details remain unconfirmed but called on the APC to account urgently for the safety of those passengers.
Economic Indicators Highlighted
The statement directed attention instead to economic indicators it described as self-evident. Petrol prices are currently around ₦1,400 per litre, diesel has surpassed ₦2,000 per litre, and food inflation remains close to 20 per cent. Citing a World Bank estimate reported by Reuters, the ADC noted that more than half of Nigerians were living in poverty last year.
Separate reports of supporters sleeping on Kaduna's streets after being brought in from other states were also cited as evidence of what the ADC characterised as political exploitation rather than grassroots mobilisation. The statement further questioned why President Tinubu's campaign trail covers only 12 states, suggesting that the same supporters are being moved from venue to venue along roads the ADC says the government has neglected.
ADC's Direct Challenge and Political Pitch
"You can hire buses, assemble a crowd and plaster the streets with billboards," Shaibu wrote. "You cannot hire consent." The statement closed with a direct political pitch, contrasting Atiku Abubakar with the incumbent: "Bola made life expensive; Atiku will make Nigeria affordable again!"
