THE All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has dismissed allegations by Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), that the Nigerian Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC’s presidential candidate.
News Point Nigeria reports that Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, described the allegation as grave and challenged Frank to substantiate his claim, while urging security agencies to invite him to provide evidence.
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In a statement, Alake said the seriousness of the allegation and the urgent need to preserve life made it necessary for Frank to provide any information in his possession to facilitate a prompt investigation.
He said any credible threat to life must be treated seriously, irrespective of political affiliation.
“We categorically reject the claim that the presidency of Nigeria or the APC Campaign Council is involved in any plot to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or any opposition figure,” the statement said.
Alake also dismissed reports that security personnel attached to the former Vice President had been withdrawn, describing the narrative as totally false.
He maintained that Atiku was well protected by the police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Contrary to what he described as falsehood promoted by Frank, Alake said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had recently directed security agencies to reinforce and increase protection for all presidential, vice-presidential, governorship and deputy governorship candidates across the country.
He added that security around the ADC presidential candidate had never been compromised.
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According to him, as a former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku enjoys two levels of state-funded security protection.
Alake further stated that Tinubu had increased security protection for Atiku as a presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC campaign spokesperson said Tinubu, as a statesman and an avowed democrat, recognised opposition politics as an essential part of Nigeria’s 27-year-old democracy.
He recalled that Tinubu spent 16 years in opposition in Nigeria and was the face of the opposition movement that galvanised forces to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governing party in 2015.
Alake described Frank’s allegation as typical opposition rabble-rousing intended to heat up the polity.
He accused some opposition figures, including Frank, of making a habit of writing open letters and tagging foreign leaders and international organisations in social media posts in a bid to attract what he called undeserved attention to themselves.
The APC spokesperson warned that, as the country moved deeper into the campaign season, politicians and their supporters would continue to make outlandish statements and frivolous allegations to gain political advantage.
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However, he urged candidates, political parties and their supporters to remain factual and responsible in their public statements and avoid utterances capable of triggering unnecessary tension in the polity.
Alake called for political competition to remain peaceful, lawful and focused on the major issues affecting Nigerians, rather than character assassination or what he described as wild, baseless allegations.
