The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians and the International Community to utterly disregard the simulated audio recording purported to be the voices of its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa and Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Aminu Tambuwal.
An audio of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), plotting to rig the general election that is hours away recently went viral.
In the said recording, Ifeanyi Okowa, vice-presidential candidate of the PDP, and Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto and director-general of the party’s presidential campaign council, could also be heard.
“I think we should interface and not create suspicion,” Okowa allegedly said in the recording.
Then Tambuwal reportedly responded, saying: “Waziri Adamawa, I would not want to disappoint you and for me to accept to go into this, let us strategize and discuss the arrangements and how it can be achieved.”
On his part, Abubakar purportedly said: “Tambuwal, that is why we are meeting. Let us sit down and find any technology that will be used to make sure I emerge.”
The audio has since been shared on all social media platforms notably Twitter and WhatsApp.
Thousands of people appeared to have heard the recording going by view count on tweets shared by supporters of other political parties.
According to a statement issued on Friday, by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, the fake audio recording is part of the “reprehensive, repulsive and foul design of the APC which has recruited hackers to produce and circulate fake media materials to demonize the PDP and our Candidate before Nigerians ahead of the election.”
The statement added: “From the manipulated sound speed and pitch, it is clear that the recording was computer created and simulated to blackmail our leaders and deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
“It is laughable for the APC to want Nigerians to believe that Atiku Abubakar, Governor Okowa and Governor Tambuwal who know themselves, can be called their names in a conversation as heard in the fake audio recording. Such further betrays the recording as an amateur simulation work.
“Moreover, the APC has failed in this attempt to fool Nigerians by using Artificial Intelligence (A.I) to clone and mimic the voices of our leaders as Nigerians are smart enough to detect the distorted waveforms and sound pitch that typify an Artificial Intelligence simulated speech.
“The fact is that no matter how hard falsehood attempts to thrive, the truth will always prevail. The APC has shown again how low it can descend with deceit, fabrications and lies to deceive Nigerians who are jittery about the elections given the hardship they have caused Nigerians in the last seven and a half years.
“In any case, our Party and our Presidential Candidate are ready for the elections. The tide of support by the overwhelming majority of Nigerians is clear and we will not be deterred or distracted by the manipulations of the rejected and fizzling APC.”
The PDP charged the security agencies to take note of the activities of the APC, take urgent steps to track down the makers of this fake audio material and make them face the wrath of the law.
It also urged Nigerians to remain focused and not be distracted in their determination to rescue our nation at this critical time.
