The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of transporting supporters from different states to Kaduna for its presidential campaign rally.
This was just as the opposition party alleged that the ruling party is more concerned about crowd size than the safety of participants.
Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, stated in a statement on Saturday while responding to claims by Dele Alake that former vice-president Atiku Abubakar and the ADC were behind an alleged plot to discredit the APC rally through artificial intelligence manipulation and deepfakes.
Shaibu described Alake’s statement as a “desperate and hollow smokescreen” and challenged the APC to provide evidence linking Atiku and the ADC to the alleged scheme.
He demanded that Alake produce names, dates and forensic findings to substantiate the allegations, describing the APC’s warning against fake news as an “empty political stunt.”
The ADC spokesman argued that the ruling party did not need a conspiracy to expose its record, citing rising fuel prices, food inflation and widespread poverty as evidence of what he described as the government’s economic failures.
He said petrol was selling for about N1,400 per litre, while diesel had exceeded N2,000 per litre, adding that food inflation remained close to 20 per cent.
Shaibu also cited a World Bank poverty estimate reported by Reuters, claiming that more than half of Nigerians were living in poverty last year.
He further questioned the APC’s explanation of a vehicle seen near one of its campaign billboards, saying Nigerians had the right to ask why a campaign billboard required protection.
The ADC official also alleged that supporters had been transported from distant states to Kaduna and left sleeping on the streets ahead of the rally.
He raised concerns over reports of accidents involving APC supporters travelling from Sokoto and Abuja to attend the event, noting that the details remained unconfirmed.
Shaibu called on the APC to provide an account of the passengers’ safety, describing the alleged practice of transporting supporters over long distances and leaving them to sleep outdoors as political exploitation.
He accused the ruling party of prioritising the appearance of a large crowd over the safety and dignity of its supporters.
The ADC spokesman also questioned President Bola Tinubu’s campaign schedule, alleging that the president was campaigning in only 12 states because the same supporters had to be moved from one rally to another.
According to him, the movement of supporters between states could consume valuable campaign time, while the failure to transport them to subsequent rallies could leave the president addressing largely empty venues.
Shaibu argued that a campaign relying on supporters transported from state to state could not present such crowds as evidence of spontaneous nationwide support.
He maintained that the APC could hire buses, assemble crowds and erect campaign billboards but could not manufacture public consent.
The ADC official said Nigerians had endured rising prices, declining purchasing power and broken promises, adding that attacks on Atiku would not ease the economic difficulties facing households.
He also accused the APC of presiding over rising food and transportation costs that had forced families to cut back on basic necessities.
“Alake’s attack on Atiku will not reduce the cost of a meal by one naira,” Shaibu said.
He expressed confidence that Nigerians would reject the APC at the polls, arguing that propaganda could not shield the ruling party from accountability for its record in government.
Shaibu concluded with a campaign message contrasting the economic records of Tinubu and Atiku, declaring: “Bola made life expensive; Atiku will make Nigeria affordable again!”
