The flag-off of the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential campaign in Kaduna State was marred by rejection and low morale, according to a journalist who covered the event.
Yushau Adamu, Regional Editor of Daily Trust Newspaper, who spoke on Trust TV while reviewing the rally, said the mood in Kaduna showed clear dissatisfaction among supporters.
According to him, the event was scheduled for 10 a.m., but President Bola Tinubu arrived five hours behind schedule, leaving many people exhausted after waiting under the scorching sun.
He said although people lined up along major roads from the airport to the venue, the President went directly to the rally ground where he addressed the crowd.
“The event was scheduled for 10 a.m., but unfortunately, the President arrived five hours behind schedule. By the time he arrived, many people were already exhausted. He went directly to the venue, although people were lined up along the major roads from the airport to the venue. So they received the President at the venue, where he addressed the crowd.
“Unfortunately, very few people among the entourage were allowed to speak apart from the President. The Vice President also spoke, the National Chairman of the party also spoke, and then the Director General of the campaign, who is the former Governor of Zamfara State, also spoke at the event,” he stated
Adamu noted that supporters were mobilised from seven North-West states of Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina for the maiden campaign.
“People came from seven different states in the North-West — Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina — for this maiden campaign,” he added.
On reports that APC officials were booed, Adamu confirmed that there were visible signs of dissatisfaction at the venue.
“Certainly, when the President began his speech, people around chanted ‘Bamayi’ [We don’t want you] when the President mentioned Nigeria. This disrupted the President’s speech before he continued,” he said.
He added that security was later tightened when the President was leaving the venue for the airport to Abuja, with people chased away from the main road to avert further embarrassment.
“Again, this might not be unconnected with the hours spent waiting for the President under the scorching sun. That was why security was tightened when he was about to leave the venue for the airport and then to Abuja. They probably anticipated that people might chant “Bamayi” (we don’t want you) when he was leaving, so people were chased away from the main road through which the President was expected to pass to the airport.”
Speaking on the turnout, Adamu dismissed the crowd as rented, saying it did not reflect wide acceptance of the party in the region.
“No, in this kind of event, largely the crowd is a rented one, because I was able to speak with one of the ladies who said she was brought from Bauchi State and was promised N10,000 and a hijab to attend the event.
“She said she wanted to go to her master to collect the N10,000 and the hijab, and that was all. So she may not even attend the event in the end. Everybody knows that whoever brings together such a crowd probably gives them some money and items such as a hijab so that they can be visible at the event,” he said.
