The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of paying between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 to individuals mobilised for its Northwest zonal flag-off rally in Kaduna.
The allegation was made by Kola Ologbondiyan, Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC-PCC, following the APC rally held at the Kaduna Township Stadium.
He claimed that the ruling party brought people from the seven states in the Northwest and other parts of the country to attend the event but still failed to fill the stadium.
Ologbondiyan said the rally was expected to showcase the APC’s political strength in the region ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, he argued that the crowd turnout did not match the scale of the mobilisation allegedly undertaken by the party.
“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 put the stadium’s capacity at about 5,000 and maintained that the presence of large numbers of attendees from different locations did not translate into the level of public enthusiasm the APC had hoped to demonstrate.
He also criticised the response of the audience to speeches delivered by APC leaders, describing it as unenthusiastic.
According to him, the gathering raised questions about the ruling party’s acceptance among voters in a region that has remained an important part of Nigeria’s political landscape.
The allegation of payments to rally attendees, however, remains the ADC-PCC’s claim. No independent evidence was provided in the statement to establish that each participant received the amounts cited, and the allegation should not be treated as a confirmed fact without further verification.
Ologbondiyan also questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reported commissioning of road projects during the Kaduna event.
He argued that the exercise did not adequately address concerns about the administration’s performance and the economic difficulties experienced by Nigerians.
The ADC-PCC director maintained that the APC should account for its record in office rather than rely on campaign promises.
He accused the ruling party of returning to Kaduna with assurances similar to those made during the 2015, 2019 and 2023 election campaigns.
According to the opposition council, Nigerians have continued to face rising living costs and other economic pressures despite the promises made by successive APC-led campaigns.
It also faulted Tinubu for allegedly shifting responsibility for the country’s challenges to opposition figures instead of addressing concerns about his administration’s policies.
The removal of the petrol subsidy featured prominently in the council’s criticism.
Ologbondiyan argued that the policy had increased the financial burden on households already struggling with the cost of transportation, food and other essential goods.
The Tinubu administration has defended its economic reforms as necessary measures to address longstanding structural problems and improve the country’s fiscal position.
However, the ADC-PCC maintained that the hardship associated with the reforms should form part of the assessment of the government’s record as the next election approaches.
The opposition council further alleged that some people who attended the Kaduna rally expressed dissatisfaction with the APC after leaving the venue.
Ologbondiyan said some were heard chanting the Hausa phrase “Ba mu yi,” which he interpreted as a rejection of the ruling party and its policies.
He argued that attendance at a political rally should not automatically be taken as evidence of genuine support for a party or its candidate.
According to him, the views expressed by voters outside campaign grounds would be more significant in determining the political standing of the APC.
“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 said the 2027 general elections would provide an opportunity for voters to assess the APC’s performance since it came to power in 2015.
It argued that the ruling party should explain what it had achieved during its years in government and how its policies had improved the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.
The council also called on the APC to stop what it described as wasteful political jamborees and apologise to Nigerians over the economic difficulties facing the country.
It urged the ruling party to prepare for what it called an orderly transfer of power in 2027.
Ologbondiyan said the ADC intended to present itself as an alternative for Nigerians seeking a change in leadership.
He maintained that the party would use the coming election cycle to challenge the APC’s record and appeal to voters dissatisfied with the current 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.