The day APC shut down Kaduna for Tinubu

By Jude Opara

The city of Kaduna was on total lockdown on Saturday, October 24 as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) formally kick-started its campaign for the 2027 general elections.

The state was chosen to host the maiden edition of the campaign aimed at returning President Bola Tinubu to office.

Travelling from Abuja to Kaduna early on Friday, there was an unprecedented huge vehicular movement going to the North West state which signified that the party had mobilized party faithful from across the country to witness its first campaign outing.

As early as Thursday, preceding the flag off day, security in and around the state was beefed up as security operatives were easily seen in their vehicles within minutes of territorial patrol. Any one suspected to be an undesirable element was promptly taken away.

On the way to Kaduna, it was easy to notice the massive concrete highway construction being carried out by the federal government. It was a clear testament that the Tinubu administration, through the Dave Umahi led Ministry of Works was indeed making some concerted efforts to fix the road, of which about 60% appears to have been completed.

Inside the city itself, many illegal shop attachments around the Ranchers Bees Stadium, venue of the event were removed to broaden the access roads.

The biggest elephant in the room was the issue of accommodation. It was easier to climb the Zuma Rock in Abuja than getting a decent hotel accommodation by Friday at the heart of the city. It was so difficult that even those “star less” hotels at the suburbs were equally over subscribed as visitors from other parts of the country who could not get the quality of accommodation they wanted were forced to make do with what was available.

It was gathered that some visitors were forced to manage with hotels that did have the necessary items expected in a hotel like television sets, air conditioners and refrigerators. After all they say when the desirable is unavailable, the available becomes the desirable.

But going to the famous Ranchers Bees Stadium at the heart of Kaduna, one would be forced to even develop some soft spots for politics. Within and around the stadium, hundreds and thousands of supporters were seen in their different costumes, in different colours and shapes, drumming, singing and dancing. There were different flags designed in the colours and logo of the party to signify that it was indeed a gathering of party faithful.

In fact, at a point I began to wonder how the young men and women were able to be running around despite the harsh Kaduna sun that was very fierce that afternoon.

Nevertheless, a colleague quickly reminded me that the place was like a free zone where people were seen smoking and consuming all manners of substances, without any fear of arrest.

However, politicians and their supporters are incurable optimists. They invest everything in their political ambition, including money, energy, time and any other capital you can think of. They are even said to go as far as borrowing money and selling their properties, just to raise money to fund their political ambition.

They mobilize their supporters and indeed any other person they could, provided they gather and give the impression that they are loves by the people.

So, I was not surprised when I learned that on the eve of the mega rally, some members of the party mobilized all members of the party in the local government areas were said to have been paid about N40,000 to each of them to sleep in the stadium so as to occupy some strategic pavilion as early as possible.

I was reliably informed that there are some people whose business is the hiring of people to fill the stands at every campaign gathering. In fact, it was said that the huge crowd at campaign rallies does not really mean that they are truly supporting such a party because when the other parties come calling, they are equally ready to be hired.

Interestingly, at every corner of the arena, it was a common sight to see a gathering of people being mobilized by a team leader. They were given branded T-shirts and caps as well as stipends.

The campaign flag off was indeed a gathering that meant so many things to many people. Kaduna was also ready to receive the thousands of visitors who came to be part of the exercise.

There were those who have to sleep in their vehicles, some slept at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and environs.

But there was also what I can describe as the other side of the rally. In fact, because President Bola Tinubu arrives the stadium at around 2:30pm, many of the people inside the stadium were fagged out and tried to go out, probably to find refreshments. However, trouble started when the security decided to lock the gate and that led to shoving and pushing that nearly resulted into a stampede.

Also, for security reason, most of the excited citizens who wanted to get closer to their president were viciously chased away by stern looking operatives.

In fact, it was a sharp contrast from what we used to see in other climes where a sitting president seeking a re-election will personally chat and interact with some of the supporters at random. But the scenario in Kaduna painted a picture of a leadership that was detached from the masses.

The APC no doubt had a very good outing in Kaduna, but they must have to approach the remaining states a little differently, especially those other states where the President is billed to attend.