National Patriots Condemn Alleged Fake Documents and Manipulated Images, Demand Security Investigation and Prosecution of Perpetrators
By Headlinenews.News
October 24, 2026
As Kaduna welcomes President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign, allegations of a coordinated disinformation campaign have sparked fresh controversy over the conduct of opposition politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a strongly worded statement issued Saturday, October 24, the APC Presidential Campaign Council accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of orchestrating a campaign of misinformation designed to discredit President Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and the presidential campaign rally.
The statement, signed by Council spokesperson Dele Alake, alleged that opposition operatives were deploying fabricated documents, manipulated photographs, artificial intelligence-generated videos and misleading reports to influence public opinion.
While the allegations require independent verification, they raise serious concerns about political responsibility, electoral integrity and the growing weaponisation of digital technology.
THE CONTROVERSIAL ₦2.3 TRILLION LETTER
Central to the controversy is a purported letter attributed to Governor Uba Sani, allegedly authorising the release of ₦2.3 trillion to finance the Kaduna presidential rally.
The APC categorically rejected the document as fraudulent, describing the alleged expenditure as economically implausible.
The Campaign Council cited Kaduna State’s annual budgets of ₦458.271 billion in 2024, ₦790.439 billion in 2025 and ₦985.9 billion in 2026.
These figures total approximately ₦2.235 trillion, meaning the alleged rally expenditure exceeds the state’s combined budgets for three consecutive years.
Although the extraordinary amount raises legitimate questions about the document’s credibility, its authenticity must ultimately be established through official verification.
The Council also disputed reports that security personnel were deployed specifically to protect APC campaign billboards, insisting that a photograph circulating online showed a security vehicle conducting routine patrol duties.
It accused Atiku of amplifying the misleading interpretation through his social media platforms.
NATIONAL PATRIOTS: OPPOSITION MUST NOT BECOME AN INDUSTRY OF DECEPTION
Reacting to the controversy, the National Patriots Movement of Nigeria condemned the deliberate circulation of fabricated political information and called for accountability wherever wrongdoing is established.
The organisation maintained that political opposition is a constitutional responsibility requiring integrity, maturity and credible alternatives.
“Nigeria’s democracy must never become a marketplace where counterfeit documents are exchanged for political advantage and manipulated images are presented as evidence of wrongdoing.
“Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has occupied one of the highest offices in Nigeria. His political experience should ordinarily translate into greater responsibility, restraint and respect for democratic institutions.
“Opposition politics is not a licence to manufacture falsehoods. It is an opportunity to scrutinise government policies, present credible alternatives and persuade Nigerians through superior ideas.”
The National Patriots emphasised that the allegations against Atiku and the ADC must be investigated rather than automatically accepted as established facts.
Nevertheless, the organisation insisted that prominent political figures have an obligation to verify sensational claims before circulating them.
“A former Vice President aspiring to return to the presidency should understand that leadership demands more than criticism. It requires judgment, credibility and the discipline to distinguish facts from political fiction.”
NIGERIANS DESERVE A CONTEST OF IDEAS, NOT FABRICATED SCANDALS
The National Patriots maintained that the 2027 presidential election should focus on economic performance, infrastructure, national security, employment, social protection and the measurable consequences of government reforms.
President Tinubu’s administration, it observed, has undertaken significant structural reforms whose achievements, challenges and social consequences deserve objective examination.
Nigerians must be allowed to evaluate these policies without the distortion of fabricated allegations or manipulated digital content.
“The opposition has every constitutional right to challenge President Tinubu’s policies. However, criticism must be supported by credible evidence, not sensational claims designed to inflame public sentiment.
“A photograph without context can mislead millions. A forged letter can provoke unnecessary outrage. An artificial intelligence-generated video can destroy reputations within minutes. These are dangerous instruments in the hands of irresponsible political actors.”
The Movement urged the APC Campaign Council to provide verifiable evidence supporting its allegations and called upon independent fact-checkers to examine the disputed materials.
It also challenged Atiku and the ADC leadership to address the controversy transparently.
NATIONAL PATRIOTS’ POSITION: POLITICAL DESPERATION MUST NOT UNDERMINE DEMOCRACY
The National Patriots warned that deliberate political disinformation, regardless of its source, threatens public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“The resort to fabricated documents, manipulated images and calculated disinformation, wherever established, is an unmistakable sign of political desperation. A candidate confident in his electoral prospects should have no reason to undermine an opponent through cheap, underhand tactics. Political credibility is earned through competence, character and convincing alternatives, not manufactured scandals.
“We therefore call upon the relevant security and intelligence agencies to investigate the origins of these disputed materials, identify those responsible for any deliberate fabrication and establish whether an organised political disinformation operation exists. Where criminal offences are established, the perpetrators should be apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law, irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Nigeria’s digital space must not become a lawless battlefield of political deception. Freedom of expression is a constitutional right, but it does not confer immunity for criminal conduct. The objective must be to protect legitimate criticism, expose deliberate falsehoods and guarantee a fair electoral environment in which every candidate competes on a level playing field.
“Atiku and the ADC must recognise that Nigerians deserve credible alternatives, not a political atmosphere poisoned by unverified allegations. If they possess evidence of wrongdoing, they should present it openly and allow the public to examine it.
“President Tinubu’s campaign should be judged on documented achievements, outstanding challenges and his vision for national transformation. Nigerians deserve an election of ideas, integrity and measurable results.
“An election won through public confidence carries legitimacy. An election fought through deliberate deception undermines the very democracy its participants seek to lead.
“As the Hausa proverb reminds us, ‘Karya fure take yi, ba ta ‘ya’ya’ — falsehood may blossom, but it bears no fruit.
“Let the candidates present their records, defend their programmes and allow Nigerians to decide. The ballot box, not digital deception, must determine Nigeria’s political future.”
Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR MIoD, FIPMD
President, The National Patriots Movement of Nigeria
Former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan
Vice-Chairman, Strategic Communications Committee, Buhari PCC 2019
Member Strategy Committee, OSGF, Presidency 2023.
