The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has accused the All Progressives Congress of offering between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 to individuals allegedly recruited to attend its Northwest zonal campaign flag-off in Kaduna.
The allegation was made by Kola Ologbondiyan, Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC-PCC, while reacting to the APC rally held at the Kaduna Township Stadium. He alleged that the ruling party mobilised attendees from the seven states in the Northwest and other parts of the country but failed to attract a crowd large enough to fill the venue.
Ologbondiyan said the gathering was intended to demonstrate the APC’s political influence across the Northwest ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, he argued that the turnout fell short of expectations despite the extensive mobilisation the opposition council claimed the ruling party had undertaken.
“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 spokesman estimated the stadium’s capacity at approximately 5,000 and argued that the alleged transportation of attendees from various locations failed to generate the enthusiasm the APC had hoped to display. He also described the audience’s reaction to speeches by party leaders as largely unenthusiastic.
According to Ologbondiyan, the turnout and the audience’s response raised questions about the APC’s level of acceptance among voters in the Northwest, a region that remains strategically important in Nigeria’s electoral politics.
However, the allegation that rally participants were paid between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 remains an assertion by the ADC-PCC. No independent evidence was presented to substantiate the claim that attendees received the stated amounts.
Ologbondiyan also questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reported commissioning of road projects during the Kaduna event, arguing that the exercise did little to address public concerns about the administration’s performance and the economic pressures confronting Nigerians.
He maintained that the APC should focus on accounting for its years in government rather than making further promises to voters. According to him, the ruling party had returned to Kaduna with assurances similar to those made during the 2015, 2019 and 2023 election campaigns.
The opposition council argued that many Nigerians continued to struggle with rising prices and worsening living conditions despite the commitments made during previous APC campaigns. It also accused Tinubu of deflecting criticism by blaming opposition politicians instead of addressing concerns surrounding his administration’s economic policies.
The removal of the petrol subsidy was among the key issues raised by the ADC-PCC. Ologbondiyan argued that the policy had intensified financial difficulties for households already grappling with rising transportation fares, food prices and the cost of other essential commodities.
The Tinubu administration, however, has defended its economic reforms, describing them as necessary steps towards resolving longstanding structural challenges and strengthening the country’s public finances. The ADC-PCC insisted that the impact of the reforms on ordinary Nigerians should remain central to any assessment of the government’s performance ahead of the next general elections.
The opposition council further alleged that some individuals who attended the Kaduna rally expressed dissatisfaction with the APC after leaving the venue. Ologbondiyan claimed that some attendees were heard chanting the Hausa expression “Ba mu yi,” which he interpreted as a rejection of the ruling party and its policies.
He argued that the presence of people at a political gathering should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of genuine electoral support, adding that voters’ opinions beyond campaign venues would offer a clearer indication of the APC’s standing.
“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 the 2027 general elections would give Nigerians an opportunity to evaluate the APC’s performance since it assumed power at the federal level in 2015. It called on the ruling party to demonstrate how its years in government had translated into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
The council also urged the APC to abandon what it described as wasteful political jamborees and apologise to Nigerians over the economic difficulties confronting the country. It further called on the ruling party to prepare for what it described as an orderly transfer of power following the 2027 elections.
Ologbondiyan said the ADC intended to position itself as a credible alternative for Nigerians seeking a change in leadership. He added that the party would use the forthcoming election cycle to challenge the APC’s record and appeal to voters dissatisfied with the Tinubu administration.
“The message from Kaduna is loud and clear: Nigerians are saying ‘Ba mu yi’ to the APC and Tinubu. Come 2027, they will speak even louder with their votes,” Ologbondiyan declared.
