KADUNA RALLY: ADC MOCKS APC OVER ALLEGED EMPTY SEATS, HIRED CROWDS
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its Northwest zonal flag-off rally in Kaduna, alleging poor attendance despite claims of extensive mobilisation.
In a statement, the ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the rally, held at the Kaduna Township Stadium, failed to reflect the ruling party’s claimed level of public support.
Ologbondiyan alleged that attendees were mobilised from the seven Northwest states and other parts of the country, with payments reportedly ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 per person. Despite the alleged expenditure, he claimed the stadium, which he said could accommodate 5,000 people, had numerous empty seats.
“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 also described the audience’s reaction to speeches by APC leaders as unenthusiastic, arguing that the turnout raised questions about the ruling party’s popularity among voters.
He further questioned President Bola Tinubu’s reported commissioning of road projects during the event, criticising the administration’s claims of achievements.
Ologbondiyan also alleged that some attendees 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.
“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 opposition campaign council accused the APC of recycling promises made during the 2015, 2019 and 2023 election campaigns without adequately accounting for its performance after years in power.
It also faulted Tinubu for allegedly blaming opposition figures for the challenges facing Nigerians rather than addressing the consequences of his administration’s economic policies.
The council specifically criticised the removal of fuel subsidies, arguing that the policy had increased financial pressure on households already grappling with the rising cost of living.
The ADC-PCC called on the APC to end what it described as wasteful political gatherings, apologise to Nigerians over the country’s economic difficulties and prepare for a peaceful transfer of power in 2027.
It maintained that the ADC offered an alternative for Nigerians seeking a change in leadership, urging voters to express their choices through the ballot in the next general election.
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