The APC Campaign Council rejects Timi Frank’s assassination plot allegation, insisting Atiku’s security has not been compromised ahead of 2027.
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 statement by Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who alleged that the federal government was plotting to assassinate Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate.
The Spokesperson of the council, Mr. Dele Alake, in a statement said the allegation was grave and must be proven.
The Council categorically rejected the claim that the Presidency or the APC Campaign Council was involved in any plot to assassinate the former Vice President or any opposition figure.
Alake also dismissed claims that security personnel attached to Atiku had been withdrawn, describing it as “totally false.”
He noted: “Our attention has been drawn to the statement by Timi Frank… This is a grave allegation that Mr Frank must prove. We thus urge security agencies to invite him to substantiate the allegation, given its gravity and the urgent need to preserve 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 recently directed security agencies to reinforce and increase protection for all presidential, vice-presidential, governorship, and Deputy Governorship candidates across the country.
“The security around the ADC Presidential candidate has never been compromised. As a former Vice President of Nigeria, he enjoys two levels of state-funded security protection.
“President Tinubu has increased security protection for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a Presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.”
Alake stressed that Tinubu recognised opposition politics as essential to Nigeria’s 27-year-old democracy.
He recalled that the president was the face of opposition for 16 years before leading the movement that defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
The APC-PCC urged candidates, political parties and supporters to be factual and responsible in public statements.
“Mr Frank’s claim is typical opposition rabble-rousing meant to heat the polity. Many opposition figures, including Timi Frank, have made it a habit to write open letters and tag foreign leaders and international organisations in social media posts to draw undeserved attention to themselves.
“As we go deeper into the campaign season, politicians and supporters will continue to make outlandish statements and frivolous allegations to gain political advantage.
“However, we urge candidates, political parties, and supporters to be factual and responsible in public statements and avoid utterances that can trigger avoidable tension in 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 said:
Frank had Monday, appealed to United States President Donald Trump and the international community to intervene diplomatically over alleged threats to the life and political freedom of Atiku ahead of the 2027 general election.
In an open letter to Trump and other international leaders, Frank expressed concern over reports of alleged plans to intimidate, arrest, detain or otherwise undermine Atiku’s participation in the forthcoming electoral process.
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 engage the Nigerian government and demand credible assurances regarding the safety 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 safety and the potential use of state institutions against opposition figures required urgent and independent 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 said.
