#NigeriaDecides: Atiku Speaks On Leaked Audio Alleging Plot To Rig Presidential Election

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has reacted to a leaked audio accusing him of planning to rig the 2023 presidential election.

Atiku on Friday charged Nigerians to ignore the audio clip circulating on social media.

In the clip, the former vice president allegedly revealed plans on how he, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa will rig the presidential election on Saturday.

Atiku, however in a statement released through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu said the audio is fake.

According to Shaibu, the audio in circulation is a confirmation of his warning last week that the opposition would deepen its propaganda ahead of the election.

He said, “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 drivel, 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.

“It is unfortunate that those seeking power will engage in outdated defeatist tactics.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?”

Atiku called on his supporters not to engage in the propaganda war, adding that it is the style of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP).

He added, “When they descend to the level of baseless propaganda, we will rise above it with dignity and respond with our PVCs. This election is a watershed in Nigerian history. Nigerians must not lose sight of what is most important, which is the need to rebuild this broken system, revitalize the economy, and improve security and the hope of the people in a united Nigeria.”

He asked security agencies to go after those behind the audio tape in line with Section 123(c) of the Electoral Act which provides that “any person who before or during an election publishes any statement to the personal character or conduct of a candidate calculated to prejudice the chance of election of the candidate or to promote or procure the election of another candidate and such statement is false and was published without reasonable grounds for belief by the person publishing it that the statement is true, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum of N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of six months or both.”