By Emmanuel Mogbede
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has dismissed allegations that the Federal Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar.
Mr Dele Alake, the council’s spokesperson and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, described the allegation as grave in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mr Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had alleged that the Federal Government was plotting to assassinate Atiku.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Atiku is the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Alake challenged Frank to substantiate the allegation, urging security agencies to invite him for questioning and investigate the claim.
“This is a grave allegation that Mr Frank must prove. We thus urge security agencies to invite him to substantiate the allegation,” he said.
He urged Frank to provide any information in his possession to facilitate a prompt investigation, stressing that every credible threat to life deserved serious attention.
Alake categorically denied any involvement by President Bola Tinubu or the APC-PCC in an alleged plot against Atiku or any opposition figure.
He also dismissed claims that security personnel attached to Atiku had been withdrawn, insisting that the former vice-president remained protected by the police and Department of State Services (DSS).
According to him, Tinubu recently directed security agencies to reinforce protection for presidential, vice-presidential, governorship and deputy governorship candidates nationwide.
Alake maintained that security arrangements for Atiku had never been compromised, adding that the former vice-president enjoyed two levels of state-funded protection.
“As a former vice-president of Nigeria, Atiku enjoys two levels of state-funded security protection. President Tinubu has increased security protection for him as a presidential candidate,” he said.
Alake described Tinubu as a statesman and committed democrat who recognised opposition politics as essential to Nigeria’s 27-year-old democracy.
He recalled that Tinubu had led opposition politics for 16 years before the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost power in 2015.
The APC spokesperson described Frank’s allegation as opposition rabble-rousing intended to heighten political tension.
He accused some opposition figures, including Frank, of using open letters and social media posts tagging foreign leaders and international organisations to attract attention.
Alake warned that politicians and their supporters might make provocative statements and frivolous allegations as the 2027 election campaigns gathered momentum.
He urged political parties, candidates and supporters to make factual, responsible public statements and avoid remarks capable of triggering unnecessary tension.
“Let our political competition be peaceful, lawful, and focused on the big issues that matter to Nigerians, not character assassination or wild, baseless allegations,” he said.
(NAN)
