The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has dismissed claims of a plot to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing the allegation as false and baseless.
The Council reacted to a press release by Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who alleged that the federal authorities was plotting to assassinate Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate.
The Spokesperson of the council, Mr. Dele Alake, in a press release mentioned the allegation was grave and have to be confirmed.
The Council categorically rejected the declare that the Presidency or the APC Campaign Council was concerned in any plot to assassinate the previous Vice President or any opposition determine.
Alake additionally dismissed claims that safety personnel connected to Atiku had been withdrawn, describing it as “totally false.”
He famous: “Our consideration has been drawn to the assertion by Timi Frank… This is a grave allegation that Mr Frank should show. We thus urge safety businesses to ask him to substantiate the allegation, given its gravity and the pressing have to protect life.
“The former Vice President is well-protected by the police and the Department of State Security. Contrary to the falsehood promoted by Timi Frank, President Tinubu not too long ago directed safety businesses to bolster and improve safety for all presidential, vice-presidential, governorship, and Deputy Governorship candidates throughout the nation.
“The safety across the ADC Presidential candidate has by no means been compromised. As a former Vice President of Nigeria, he enjoys two ranges of state-funded safety safety.
“President Tinubu has increased security protection for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a Presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.”
Alake confused that Tinubu recognised opposition politics as important to Nigeria’s 27-year-old democracy.
He recalled that the president was the face of opposition for 16 years earlier than main the motion that defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
The APC-PCC urged candidates, political events and supporters to be factual and accountable in public statements.
“Mr Frank’s declare is typical opposition rabble-rousing meant to warmth the polity. Many opposition figures, together with Timi Frank, have made it a behavior to jot down open letters and tag international leaders and worldwide organisations in social media posts to attract undeserved consideration to themselves.
“As we go deeper into the marketing campaign season, politicians and supporters will proceed to make outlandish statements and frivolous allegations to realize political benefit.
“However, we urge candidates, political events, and supporters to be factual and accountable in public statements and keep away from utterances that may set off avoidable stress within the polity.
“Let our political competition be peaceful, lawful, and focused on the big issues that matter to Nigerians, not character assassination or wild, baseless allegations,” Alake mentioned:
Frank had Monday, appealed to United States President Donald Trump and the worldwide neighborhood to intervene diplomatically over alleged threats to the life and political freedom of Atiku forward of the 2027 basic election.
In an open letter to Trump and different worldwide leaders, Frank expressed concern over studies of alleged plans to intimidate, arrest, detain or in any other case undermine Atiku’s participation within the forthcoming electoral course of.
He urged the United States, the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom to interact the Nigerian authorities and demand credible assurances concerning the protection of opposition leaders.
According to Frank who serves as an Ambassador to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to East Africa and Middle East, the allegations surrounding Atiku’s security and the potential use of state establishments towards opposition figures required pressing and impartial investigation.
“These allegations must be independently and urgently investigated. Given their gravity, however, they cannot be dismissed or ignored until it is too late to prevent harm,” he mentioned.
Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale
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