ADC Mocks APC Over ‘Empty Seats, Rented Crowd’ at Kaduna Rally, Predicts Tinubu’s Defeat in 2027

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, describing the event as a disappointment and alleging poor turnout, rented crowds and recycled campaign promises.

The council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the remarks while reacting to the rally held at the Kaduna Township Stadium, where he alleged that the event failed to demonstrate the ruling party’s claimed political strength in the Northwest.

According to Ologbondiyan, the APC mobilised supporters from the seven states in the Northwest and beyond but still failed to fill the stadium, which he claimed had a capacity of 5,000.

He further alleged that some attendees were offered between ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 to participate in the rally, although he did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the claim.

“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.

Ologbondiyan also claimed that the reception given to speeches and messages delivered by APC leaders was unenthusiastic, arguing that the turnout raised questions about the ruling party’s public acceptance.

The ADC-PCC spokesman also faulted President Bola Tinubu’s reported commissioning of road projects during the event, questioning the administration’s presentation of its infrastructure record.

He further alleged that some attendees expressed dissatisfaction with the APC after leaving the stadium, chanting the Hausa phrase “Ba mu yi,” which he interpreted as a rejection of the ruling 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,” Ologbondiyan said.

The opposition campaign council accused the APC of repeating promises made during the 2015, 2019 and 2023 election cycles, insisting that the ruling party had failed to adequately account for its years in power.

It also criticised Tinubu over the economic hardship facing Nigerians, accusing the President of shifting responsibility to opposition figures rather than addressing the effects of his administration’s policies.

Ologbondiyan specifically faulted the President’s position on fuel subsidy removal, which the ADC-PCC argued had increased the financial burden on households grappling with rising living costs.

The council urged the APC to end what it described as wasteful political jamborees, apologise to Nigerians over the prevailing economic difficulties and prepare for what it called an orderly transfer of power in 2027.

It also presented the ADC as an alternative for Nigerians seeking a change in leadership, expressing confidence that voters would use the next general election to communicate their dissatisfaction with the ruling party.

“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.

The allegations about crowd payments, attendance and public reactions remain claims made by the ADC-PCC and were not independently established in the statement. The APC’s response to the criticism was not included in the material provided.