Election: Atiku Speaks On Viral Audio Alleging Rig Plot

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, February 24th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, stated that the viral audio clip where he, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, revealed plans to scuttle the forthcoming election is “utter rubbish”.

Atiku, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, saying that the clip confirmed that the ruling party would take their deceits to new heights a few hours to balloting.

The statement partly read: “We warned last week that as the election approaches there will be a spike in the rate of propaganda on social media. With barely 24 hours to the poll, we have witnessed propaganda from not just the All Progressives Congress but the Labour Party as well.

“In this latest drive, a montage of speeches delivered by Atiku, Tambuwal, and Okowa since last year were manipulated and pieced together to give an impression that they were discussing plans to rig Saturday’s election. In this age of artificial intelligence technology, even dead people can be portrayed as delivering speeches. This is nothing new!

“For the record, Atiku has run in two presidential elections and has never been indicted or prosecuted for election violence or vote buying.

“But some people think they can sell a narrative of Atiku manipulating this election. This is indeed the height of desperation, the last kick of a dying horse. The APC and the Labour Party must note that elections are not won on social media but at the polling units.”

Speaking on why Nigerians should disregard the audio conversation, Atiku added, “It is unfortunate that those seeking power will engage in outdated defeatist tactics. How can Tambuwal be referring to Atiku by his full name in a one-on-one private conversation?

“This is nonsensical, similar to the type of meaningless chatter about President Muhammadu Buhari being dead and replaced by one Jubril from Sudan.”