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The African Democratic Congress has called for evidence of the allegations, while the Kaduna state government has rejected a controversial ₦2.3 trillion election spending bill.
A political row has erupted between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over allegations of a coordinated disinformation campaign surrounding the launch of President Bola Tinubu’s presidential campaign in Kaduna state.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the ADC of attempting to damage the image of the ruling party through misleading reports, fabricated documents and AI-generated content.
The allegation was made in a statement released on Saturday, October 24, 2026 by Dele Alake, Spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
According to Alake, the alleged operation was intended to generate negative publicity for the Kaduna rally and undermine public confidence in President Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and other senior APC figures.
How the Kaduna billboard controversy began
The disagreement followed reports that security personnel had been stationed near billboards promoting President Tinubu in Kaduna.
A report published by Daily Trust on October 23 said that some security officers had been tasked with protecting campaign materials from possible vandalism.
Atiku subsequently criticized the reported deal, questioning the government’s priorities at a time when communities across Nigeria continued to face security threats.
However, the APC rejected the interpretation of a photograph showing a security vehicle near one of its campaign billboards.
Alake claimed the vehicle was carrying out a routine patrol and accused opposition figures of presenting the image in a misleading way.
He also said Atiku amplified the controversy by sharing a newspaper article through his social media accounts.
APC rejects alleged ₦2.3 trillion rally spending
The controversy intensified following the release of a document suggesting that the Kaduna state government had released ₦2.3 trillion to organize the APC presidential campaign event.
The purported letter was presented as correspondence from Governor Uba Sani to Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Alake dismissed the document as fabricated, arguing that the amount mentioned was not consistent with the financial resources of Kaduna State.
It cited state-approved budgets of around ₦458.27 billion in 2024, ₦790.44 billion in 2025 and ₦985.9 billion in 2026.
Together, the three annual budgets amount to around ₦2.235 trillion, below the sum purportedly stated in the letter.
The APC spokesperson claimed that the disputed document was part of an attempt to sway public opinion against the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Kaduna government denies the disputed letter
In a separate response, the Kaduna state government denied having authorized or allocated ₦2.3 trillion for the election rally.
Information and Culture Commissioner Ahmed Maiyaki said the document, dated October 18, 2026, contained discrepancies that raised serious doubts about its authenticity.
Among the irregularities identified was the incorrect spelling of Governor Uba Sani’s surname. The government also questioned the apparent reproduction of the governor’s signature without authorization.
Maiyaki argued that no such expenditure had been approved and called for investigations to establish who produced and released the document.
APC warns against manipulated videos
Beyond the disputed letter, Alake claimed that opposition actors were preparing to circulate altered footage, recycled videos and AI-generated material during the Kaduna rally.
He said the intention was to exaggerate public opposition to the APC and create a misleading impression of the reception accorded President Tinubu.
The electoral council has advised Nigerians to exercise caution when viewing politically sensitive videos and documents circulating online.
However, the published statement did not include forensic findings establishing that Atiku or the ADC produced the allegedly manipulated materials.
ADC challenges APC to present evidence
The African Democratic Congress has rejected the APC’s allegations and challenged the ruling party to prove its claims.
Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communications at the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, questioned evidence linking Atiku or his party to the disputed letter and the alleged deepfake operation.
Shaibu argued that the APC was attempting to divert attention from public concerns over the cost of living, economic hardship and government performance.
He insisted that political criticism of the Tinubu administration should not automatically be dismissed as disinformation.
The ADC also questioned the APC’s explanation of the security presence near the Kaduna campaign billboards.
Political rivalry intensifies ahead of 2027 elections
The clash highlights growing tensions between the APC and ADC as political campaigns gain momentum ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
For the ruling party, the controversy raises concerns about the potential influence of misleading digital content on political campaigns.
For the opposition, the disagreement has become another opportunity to question government priorities, election spending and public accountability.
Although Kaduna State has denied the alleged ₦2.3 trillion expenditure, the identity of whoever first created and circulated the disputed document has not been independently established.
Likewise, the APC’s allegations that Atiku and ADC planned a coordinated deepfake campaign remain unproven in the publicly available evidence reviewed for this report.
The dispute highlights the importance of verifying political statements, digital images and purported government documents before accepting or disseminating them as fact.
