A fresh political dispute has erupted over President Bola Tinubu’s participation in the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, following claims that his address was filmed ahead of the ceremony.
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo dismissed the allegation on Thursday, arguing that the presence of Nigerian and foreign journalists at the gathering contradicted suggestions that the President’s appearance had been staged.
Writing on X, Keyamo drew a comparison with the controversy surrounding former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2017 medical visit to London. At the time, a conspiracy theory circulated that Buhari had died and that a Sudanese man identified as Jubril had taken his place.
The minister expressed disbelief that another controversy of a similar nature had emerged, particularly one questioning whether Tinubu actually delivered his remarks at the event.
He maintained that journalists witnessed the proceedings firsthand and described the allegation as so troubling that he was unsure whether it warranted amusement or concern. He further suggested that some political opponents were exhibiting signs of psychological distress.
Tinubu formally constituted the APC campaign leadership on Wednesday during a ceremony at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, as the party steps up activities ahead of the 2027 polls.
The President will lead the council, supported by Vice-President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda as deputy heads. Former Zamfara governor Abdulaziz Yari will oversee its operations as Director-General, while Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma will serve as secretary.
The newly inaugurated body is expected to bring together senior party figures to organise political outreach and strengthen support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
During the ceremony, Tinubu instructed council members to concentrate on securing support at the community level, warning that their work would have little value without votes from individual polling units.
The ruling party has chosen Kaduna State as the venue for its campaign launch on October 24.
The debate over Tinubu’s attendance originated from a Wednesday post by activist Chidi Odinkalu, who questioned whether the President was physically present at the conference centre.
Odinkalu argued that the video appeared to have been produced in advance, pointing to the editing, camera positioning and transitions between scenes as reasons for his suspicion. He called for footage showing Tinubu entering the venue and an uninterrupted wide shot to verify his presence.
Although Keyamo did not identify Odinkalu directly in his response, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga addressed the activist’s comments separately.
Onanuga accused Odinkalu of allowing his political leanings to shape his interpretation of the incident, saying he had become part of an online crowd promoting misleading accounts. He also criticised the activist for publishing the allegation.
