The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) has challenged Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to substantiate his allegation that the Federal Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice-President and ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The council’s spokesperson and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, made the position known in a statement on Tuesday, dismissing the allegation and insisting that neither President Bola Tinubu nor the APC campaign council was involved in any plot to assassinate Atiku or any opposition figure.
The controversy followed an open letter addressed by Frank to United States President Donald Trump and other international leaders on Monday, in which he expressed concern over alleged plans to intimidate, arrest, detain or otherwise frustrate Atiku’s participation in the 2027 general elections.
Frank also raised concerns over alleged threats to the former Vice-President’s life, prompting the APC PCC to demand evidence to support the claims.
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In its reaction, the council described the allegation as grave and urged security agencies to invite Frank for questioning so that he could provide any information in his possession to facilitate an investigation.
“Our attention has been drawn to the statement by Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress, alleging that the Nigerian government is plotting to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the ADC.
“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 statement read.
The council added that any credible threat to life should be investigated promptly, irrespective of political affiliation, while urging Frank to cooperate with the relevant authorities.
The APC PCC also dismissed claims that security personnel attached to Atiku had been withdrawn, maintaining that the former Vice-President remained protected by the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services.
According to the council, President Tinubu had directed security agencies to strengthen protection for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as governorship and deputy governorship candidates, ahead of the forthcoming elections.
“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 elections,” the statement added.
The council further defended Tinubu’s democratic credentials, citing his role in mobilising opposition forces that defeated the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2015 general elections after 16 years in power at the federal level.
It argued that opposition politics remained an essential component of Nigeria’s democratic system and cautioned political actors against making allegations capable of heightening political tensions without providing supporting evidence.
The APC PCC also accused some opposition figures of using open letters to foreign leaders and international organisations to attract public attention, describing Frank’s intervention as politically motivated.
As political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, the council urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint in their public statements and ensure that campaigns remain peaceful and focused on issues affecting Nigerians.
The allegation and the council’s response come amid heightened political tensions ahead of the next general elections. The claims of an assassination plot remain allegations, and the statement provided no independent evidence establishing whether such a plot exists.
