The All Progressives Congress has described the massive rallies in Kano and Katsina States as a decisive response to recent claims by NDC vice presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, that northern governors lack the political footing to campaign effectively in the region ahead of 2027.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano governor, had argued that many northern states were being poorly governed and that their leaders would struggle to mobilise support when election season arrives.
He also dismissed the APC’s numerical advantage in state houses as irrelevant to the outcome of the next general election.
But if Saturday’s events are anything to go by, the APC believes Kwankwaso could not be more wrong.
Hon Elton Onwu, an APC chieftain who witnessed the event at the Sani Abacha Stadium, told our correspondent that the rallies in both states are a clear repudiation of Kwankwaso’s assertions.
“Kwankwaso said northern governors cannot campaign. But what did we see yesterday in Kano? What did we see in Katsina? The people came out in their millions. The rallies were massive, peaceful, and a clear demonstration of the people’s confidence in this administration,” Onwu said.
Onwu, who has served the APC in several high profile committees, was inaugurated as the TSG Abia State Coordinator. He noted that the timing of Kwankwaso’s comments made them particularly ill advised, coming just President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC was consolidating its political base in the North.
“You cannot claim governors cannot campaign when you have thousands upon thousands of people voluntarily gathering to show support. What we witnessed at Sani Abacha Stadium was not manufactured. It was genuine enthusiasm from the grassroots. Kwankwaso needs to rethink his assumptions,” Onwu added.
“I have been in this game long enough to know when a crowd is paid for and when it is genuine. What happened in Kano yesterday was organic—people came out because they wanted to show true solidarity”, he explained.
High Profile Defection
Beyond the crowd size, the APC received a major boost with the defection of several opposition big wigs in Kano.
Among those who crossed over were three former senators, a former deputy governorship candidate, and a former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly. The defectors arrived with their supporters, further swelling the ranks of the ruling party in a state long considered a battleground.
Onwu described the defections as a “political earthquake” that Kwankwaso and his party would find difficult to ignore.
“These are not fringe figures. These are people with structures, with followers, with names that carry weight in Kano politics. Their departure is a statement,” he said.
Crowd Paralyses Kano
The rally, which also served as the inauguration of the Tinubu Support Campaign Council, caused major disruptions across Kano metropolis as thousands of supporters thronged the streets leading to the stadium.
Commercial activities were temporarily halted in several parts of the city as party faithful, dressed in APC regalia, took over major roads. Witnesses described the atmosphere as carnival-like, with singing and drumming lasting well into the evening.
Spear News Nigeria reports that
Kwankwaso had, during a town hall meeting in Rivers State, claimed that the APC’s dominance in terms of governors did not guarantee electoral success.
He pointed to historical examples where parties with significant state control still lost presidential elections. He also alleged that many northern governors had performed poorly enough that they would find it difficult to even appear before voters to campaign.
Speaking to our reporter, Onwu dismissed those remarks as wishful thinking.
“Kwankwaso is entitled to his opinion. But the people have spoken through their physical presence. That is the only poll that matters,” Onwu said.
What This Means For 2027
Political observers say the Kano and Katsina rallies signal that the APC is not taking the North for granted, despite its current strength in the region.
Onwu said the message from the rallies was clear: the APC is ready, and the people are responding.
“Let no one mistake this for complacency. We are working. We are mobilising. And as we have shown, the people are with us,” he said.
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