The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress of orchestrating a coordinated disinformation campaign to undermine President Bola Tinubu's campaign flag-off in Kaduna on Saturday, October 24, 2026. In a statement signed by Dele Alake, spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the party alleged that Atiku and the ADC deployed artificial intelligence, deepfake videos, and forged documents to manipulate public perception around the Kaduna rally and discredit Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani, and other party leaders.
Alleged Fake Security Photo and Newspaper Story
According to Alake, the scheme began with a photograph of a security vehicle on routine patrol near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna. He said the image was deliberately misrepresented to suggest that security operatives had been deployed to guard party billboards. The distorted account was subsequently published in what he described as a national newspaper with an anti-government editorial leaning.
"Immediately after the newspaper published the fake, distorted story, Atiku Abubakar, in a coordinated manner, latched onto it and shared it on his official social media handles to generate traffic and trends," Alake stated.
Forged Letter Claiming N2.3 Trillion Rally Spending
The second alleged element involved a letter purportedly signed by Governor Uba Sani and addressed to Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, claiming that the Kaduna State Government had released N2.3 trillion to fund the rally. The campaign council dismissed the figure as absurd, noting that it exceeds the state's combined budgets for three consecutive years.
Kaduna State's approved budgets stood at N458.271 billion in 2024, N790.439 billion in 2025, and N985.9 billion in 2026, which together total less than N2.3 trillion.
Broader Disinformation Operation Ahead of Rally
Alake warned that the two incidents were only the opening moves in a broader operation. He alleged that Atiku's supporters had also prepared old and doctored footage, as well as deepfake videos, to be released during the rally with the intention of portraying public hostility towards the APC event.
The APC urged Nigerians to disregard the materials and treat them as politically motivated fabrications. The party called on the public to remain vigilant against what it characterised as a desperate attempt by forces incapable of winning elections through legitimate means.
