The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has defended his party’s performance in the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) election, saying the APC’s victory was the product of intense groundwork and organisation.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, Basiru dismissed opposition claims of electoral manipulation and instead credited the ruling party’s strategy and mobilisation.
“In the weeks before the FCT election, our office was open 24 hours a day — reaching out to voters, engaging communities, resolving issues so we could put on a strong showing,” he said.
In a pointed remark widely interpreted as a swipe at opposition figures, Basiru added: “Some others were sitting in the market eating groundnuts and making skits. That is not politics.”
Though he did not mention names, the comment appears to allude to Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections and current member of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, who was seen in a viral video buying groundnuts from a market woman shortly before the FCT polls.
The imagery of Obi engaging in a casual market visit had drawn mixed reactions online, with supporters describing it as a show of humility and connection with ordinary Nigerians, while critics questioned its political impact.
Basiru, however, framed the contrast as one between structured political engagement and symbolic gestures. According to him, the APC’s approach was rooted in sustained voter outreach, internal coordination, and grassroots mobilisation rather than media optics.
The FCT election has since become a flashpoint in broader debates about electoral transparency, party organisation, and the preparedness of opposition forces ahead of the 2027 general elections. Basiru maintained that the APC’s results reflected hard work and strategic planning, not institutional bias.See_More…