ADC-PCC Accuses APC of Poor Turnout at Kaduna Rally, Questions Tinubu’s Popularity

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its Northwest zonal presidential campaign flag-off rally in Kaduna, alleging that the event recorded a poor turnout despite extensive mobilisation across the region.

The opposition campaign council said the turnout at the Kaduna Township Stadium raised questions about the ruling party’s level of public acceptance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement, the ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that people were mobilised from the seven states in the Northwest and other parts of the country to attend the rally, with payments reportedly ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 per person.

Ologbondiyan, however, claimed that the mobilisation failed to produce the large crowd expected at an event intended to demonstrate the APC’s political strength in one of Nigeria’s major geopolitical zones.

“For a rally billed as the Northwest zonal flag-off, what we witnessed was a shameful spectacle. Despite the alleged mobilisation of crowds from across the zone and beyond, the stadium remained scantily filled, with empty seats everywhere,” he said.

The ADC-PCC spokesperson put the stadium’s capacity at about 5,000 people and argued that the number of attendees did not reflect the scale of mobilisation allegedly undertaken by the ruling party.

The allegations, however, were contained in the opposition campaign council’s statement, and the claims about payments to rally attendees were not independently established in the report.

ADC Questions APC’s Public Acceptance

Ologbondiyan also questioned the response of the audience to speeches delivered by APC leaders, describing it as unenthusiastic and arguing that the event did not demonstrate the level of grassroots support the ruling party would want to project ahead of the next general election.

He further alleged that some people leaving the stadium expressed dissatisfaction with the APC by chanting “Ba ma yi”, a Hausa expression he interpreted as a rejection of the party and its policies.

According to him, the presence of people at political rallies should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of support for the candidates or parties organising such events.

“You can rent a crowd, but you cannot rent acceptance. Even if people attend a rally, that does not mean they have surrendered their convictions. The real test of public support is what Nigerians will decide at the ballot box,” he said.

The ADC-PCC maintained that electoral support should ultimately be measured through voters’ decisions at the polls rather than the number of people attending campaign events.

The criticism comes as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 general election, with rallies, political alliances and public messaging increasingly becoming instruments for projecting strength and consolidating support across the country.

Council Accuses APC Of Recycling Campaign Promises

The opposition campaign council also accused the APC of repeating promises made during the 2015, 2019 and 2023 election campaigns without adequately accounting for its performance after years in power.

It argued that Nigerians should assess the ruling party based on its record in government, particularly its handling of the economy and the effects of its policies on households and businesses.

The council specifically criticised President Bola Tinubu over what it described as his tendency to blame opposition figures for the difficulties facing Nigerians rather than sufficiently addressing public concerns about the consequences of his administration’s economic decisions.

It also faulted the Federal Government’s removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that the policy had increased financial pressure on households already grappling with rising living costs.

The subsidy removal has remained a major issue in national economic debates, with discussions focusing on its implications for petrol prices, transportation costs, food prices, public finances and the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.

While successive governments have defended subsidy reform as necessary to reduce fiscal pressure and redirect public resources, critics have continued to question whether the benefits of the policy have sufficiently offset the immediate burden on citizens.

The ADC-PCC urged the APC to address these concerns and explain how its policies have improved living conditions, rather than relying primarily on campaign promises and political gatherings.

ADC Calls For Accountability Ahead Of 2027

The council also questioned the significance of road projects reportedly commissioned by Tinubu during the campaign event, criticising what it described as the administration’s presentation of its achievements.

It argued that government projects and policy announcements should be assessed against their practical impact on Nigerians, including whether they have improved living standards, expanded economic opportunities and reduced the hardships facing households.

The ADC-PCC called on the ruling party to discontinue what it described as wasteful political gatherings, apologise to Nigerians over the country’s economic difficulties and prepare for what it characterised as a peaceful transfer of power in 2027.

It also presented its party as an alternative for Nigerians seeking a change in national leadership, urging voters to use the next general election to express their views on the performance of the incumbent administration.

The statement did not, however, provide detailed policy proposals from the ADC-PCC on how it would address the economic challenges it attributed to the APC-led government.

2027 Campaign Debate Gathers Momentum

The exchange highlights the emerging contest over how the major political parties will present their records, policies and promises to voters ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

For the APC, campaign rallies provide an opportunity to showcase its political organisation, mobilise supporters and communicate the achievements it attributes to Tinubu’s administration.

For opposition parties, the same events offer opportunities to scrutinise the ruling party’s claims, challenge its presentation of public support and draw attention to unresolved economic and governance concerns.

However, attendance at a single rally, whether large or small, does not by itself establish the extent of a party’s nationwide popularity. Assessing public support requires a broader consideration of voting patterns, credible polling where available, local political dynamics and voters’ responses to the policies and candidates presented to them.

Similarly, allegations of paid mobilisation require independent verification before they can be treated as established facts.

As the 2027 election approaches, the ability of political parties to translate campaign activities into credible policy proposals, public accountability and peaceful political engagement is likely to remain central to the national debate.

The ADC-PCC has challenged the APC to account for its performance in office, while insisting that the ultimate verdict on the ruling party’s popularity will come from Nigerians at the ballot box.