APC Denies Plot to Assassinate Atiku, Challenges Timi Frank to Prove Allegation

The ruling party says the former vice-president remains adequately protected by security agencies and urges politicians to avoid statements capable of heightening political tension ahead of the 2027 elections.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has denied allegations that the Federal Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, challenging Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to substantiate his claim before security agencies.

The council described the allegation as grave and potentially capable of heightening political tension ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that neither President Bola Tinubu nor the APC Presidential Campaign Council is involved in any plot to harm Atiku or any opposition figure.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and signed by Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the ruling party called on security agencies to invite Frank to provide evidence supporting his allegation.

It also urged Frank to make available any information in his possession that could assist investigators in establishing the facts surrounding the alleged threat.

The council said any credible threat to life must be taken seriously, regardless of the political affiliation of the person concerned.

However, it rejected what it described as an attempt to link the presidency and the ruling party to an alleged assassination plot, maintaining that accusations of such magnitude should not be made without verifiable evidence.

The controversy comes as political parties and their supporters intensify activities ahead of the 2027 elections, with security, political competition and the protection of candidates expected to feature prominently in the unfolding campaign season.

APC Dismisses Claim of Withdrawn Security Personnel

A central element of the controversy is the allegation that security personnel attached to Atiku have been withdrawn, a claim the APC campaign council categorically rejected.

According to Alake, the former vice-president remains protected by the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), insisting that his security arrangements have not been compromised.

The council further stated that Atiku, by virtue of his status as a former vice-president and his position as a presidential candidate, enjoys two levels of state-funded security protection.

It also said President Tinubu had recently directed security agencies to reinforce and increase protection for presidential, vice-presidential, governorship and deputy governorship candidates across the country.

According to the statement, the president had extended increased security protection to Atiku as a presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The campaign council's position was intended to counter concerns that the former vice-president might have been exposed to security risks as a result of changes to his security arrangements.

However, the statement did not provide operational details of the security measures said to be in place, nor did it identify the specific information that prompted Frank's allegation.

The demand for evidence from Frank and the council's assurances about Atiku's security therefore place the responsibility on the relevant authorities to establish the facts surrounding the claims.

Given the seriousness of an alleged threat to a former vice-president and presidential candidate, any information suggesting a credible danger would ordinarily warrant prompt assessment by the appropriate security agencies.

Tinubu Has No Interest In Harming Opposition Figures, APC Says

The APC campaign council defended Tinubu's democratic credentials, arguing that the president recognises opposition politics as an essential component of Nigeria's democracy.

Alake recalled Tinubu's years in opposition before the APC defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections, describing the president as a statesman who understands the importance of political competition.

According to the spokesperson, Tinubu spent 16 years as a prominent opposition figure and played a significant role in galvanising opposition forces against the PDP, which had governed Nigeria since the restoration of democratic rule in 1999.

The APC's argument was that a politician who benefited from opposition mobilisation and the democratic transfer of power should understand the importance of protecting political opponents and preserving an environment in which competing parties can campaign freely.

The party maintained that the president's record in opposition politics contradicted suggestions that his administration would contemplate violence against an electoral rival.

Nevertheless, the council's reference to Tinubu's political history represents its defence of the president rather than independent evidence resolving the specific allegation made by Frank.

The substantive issue, therefore, remains whether the allegation was supported by credible information and whether any security agency has received evidence requiring investigation.

APC Accuses Timi Frank of Political Rabble-Rousing

The campaign council also criticised Frank's approach to political communication, accusing him of making statements designed to attract attention and increase tension in the country.

Alake described the allegation as typical opposition rabble-rousing, arguing that some political figures resort to dramatic claims and open letters to foreign leaders and international organisations in an effort to gain publicity.

The spokesperson specifically accused Frank and other opposition figures of using social media to draw what he called undeserved attention to themselves.

He argued that such conduct could contribute to an atmosphere of suspicion and hostility at a time when political leaders should be concentrating on substantive national issues.

The APC campaign council warned that the approach could become more pronounced as the country moves deeper into the campaign season, when politicians and their supporters are likely to make increasingly forceful statements in pursuit of electoral advantage.

It urged political actors to avoid what it described as outlandish statements and frivolous allegations capable of unnecessarily heating up the polity.

The council's criticism reflects a broader concern about the role of political messaging in an increasingly competitive electoral environment, where unverified claims can spread rapidly through social media and influence public perceptions before the facts are established.

At the same time, the distinction between an unsubstantiated allegation and a genuine security warning remains important. While politicians should be held accountable for claims they make, allegations involving potential threats to life must be assessed on the strength of available evidence rather than dismissed solely because they emerge from the opposition.

Security Of Political Candidates In Focus

The controversy has drawn attention to the responsibility of security agencies to protect political candidates, particularly those seeking the country's highest offices.

Nigeria's presidential election campaigns have historically involved intense political rivalries, making the safety of candidates, party officials, supporters and electoral personnel an important consideration for the authorities.

The protection of opposition figures is especially significant in a democracy because political competition requires candidates to travel, hold rallies, address supporters and communicate their programmes without fear of violence or intimidation.

For the same reason, allegations of assassination plots should be handled carefully. If unsupported claims are allowed to circulate unchecked, they could fuel distrust, deepen partisan hostility and undermine confidence in public institutions. Conversely, if credible threats are ignored or inadequately investigated, the consequences could be grave.

The APC campaign council's statement acknowledged the importance of protecting political actors irrespective of their party affiliations, urging all sides to treat the safety of candidates as a matter of national concern.

Its call for security agencies to invite Frank to substantiate his allegation also provides a possible route towards establishing the facts, provided any inquiry is conducted professionally and without political interference.

Such an investigation would need to distinguish between verifiable intelligence, speculation and political rhetoric while ensuring that relevant information is examined promptly.

The council's assertion that Atiku's security arrangements remain intact could also be clarified by the appropriate authorities, subject to the need to protect sensitive operational information.

Call For Responsible Political Campaigns

Beyond its denial of the alleged plot, the APC campaign council called on presidential candidates, political parties and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.

Alake urged politicians to ensure that their public statements were factual and avoided language capable of provoking unnecessary tension.

He said political competition should remain peaceful, lawful and focused on issues that directly affect Nigerians, rather than character attacks and what the council described as baseless allegations.

The appeal comes against the backdrop of the country's continuing political contest, with the ruling party and opposition groups seeking to consolidate their support ahead of the next general elections.

As political alignments evolve and campaigns intensify, the ability of parties to disagree without encouraging hostility will be important to sustaining public confidence in the electoral process.

For the opposition, scrutiny of government conduct and the ability to raise concerns about security or the treatment of political candidates are essential democratic functions. Such concerns, however, are more likely to command public confidence when supported by specific facts and credible evidence.

For the ruling party, rejecting allegations against the government is legitimate, but assurances about the safety of political opponents must be matched by effective security arrangements and transparent responses to credible concerns.

The immediate challenge is therefore to establish the facts surrounding Frank's allegation while ensuring that Atiku and other political candidates remain adequately protected throughout the election cycle.

Neither the seriousness of the allegation nor the political sensitivity surrounding it makes a conclusive determination possible without evidence.

The APC campaign council has denied any involvement by Tinubu or the ruling party and insisted that Atiku's security has not been compromised. It has also challenged Frank to substantiate his claim.

Whether the allegation has a factual basis remains a matter for the relevant authorities to establish through appropriate investigation.

As the 2027 elections approach, the handling of such controversies will test the commitment of political leaders and security institutions to protecting lives, upholding democratic competition and preventing avoidable tension from undermining the electoral atmosphere.