The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has uncovered plots, allegedly from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to scare voters from casting their ballots for President Muhammadu Buhari.
Spokesperson of the campaign council, Festus Keyamo (SAN) in a statement alleged that several fake videos have been lined up by the PDP to confuse voters and create fears that President Buhari is sick and cannot rule Nigeria for another four years.
“In a move reminiscent of how the PDP hired Cambridge Analytica in 2015 to scare voters from voting for President Muhammadu Buhari, we understand the PDP is at it again a few days to the actual voting day.
“This time, sources within the heart of the operations of the PDP and security sources have informed us of plans already concluded by the PDP and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s campaign team to roll out a series of fake news designed again to scare voters from voting for President Muhammadu Buhari. These fake news would consist of doctored videos and audio clips and fake news reports from fake news sites,” he said.
Keyamo further stated that one of the videos is already in circulation and that security operatives are on the trail of the perpetrators and masterminds.
“Two of such fake news in the series have already been released through their proxies and nameless individuals. The first is an audio clip of a supposed “nurse” of President Muhammadu Buhari telling voters that the President is sick and cannot govern for another four years. We understand that a Nigerian girl whose real name is Sandra and who used a fake British accent did the said recording somewhere in Maitama in a house belonging to a PDP chieftain. Security operatives are already on her trail,” Keyamo added.
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He,however, explained that the purported news which suggested that the only remaining Dapchi girl in Boko Haram captivity was dead is part of the plot.
He said, “ The second fake news released is on the purported death of Leah Sharibu. This is a lie from the pit of hell as the Federal Government’s effort to set her free has reached an advanced stage.”
He, however alerted Nigerians to beware of more of such fake news line-up, allegedly by the PDP and handlers of the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“ The other fake news lined up for the next few days by the PDP and Atiku’s handlers would consist of similar doctored audios, videos and fake news with no link to credible news sites.
Our advice to the leadership of the PDP is that Nigeria must not burn because of their selfish ambition. Enough damage was done from these kinds of narratives they pushed out in 2015 from which we have not fully recovered till date, “ he added.
Keyamo however advised the PDP not to throw the country into panic out of desperate politics, as he said the unity of Nigeria is more important than elections.
“ The election will come and go and Nigeria will remain one united, indivisible entity. We are shocked that the panic mode of the PDP has gone into overdrive, prompting them to push out such reckless fake news.
“ We wish to advise the leadership of the PDP that in order to reduce this type of panic and desperation on their part in 2023 (that is, if they survive as a party), they must find something meaningful to do outside government patronage after they lose the 2019 election.
This type of attitude is borne out of hanging around, idle and waiting endlessly for election cycles to try to get back to power to plunder our national resources. The bad news for them is that from feelers we are having on the ground, Nigerians are not yet prepared to forgive them for their 16 years of misrule, mismanagement and outright stealing of our national resources, “ Keyamo noted.
