Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed confidence that it will deliver at least two million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election, citing the turnout at the president’s campaign flag-off in Kaduna as evidence of growing support for his re-election.
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Sani Haruna, stated this on Monday while addressing journalists at a post-event press conference in Kaduna, where he described the October 24 rally as a demonstration of the APC’s mobilisation strength and Tinubu’s acceptance in the North.
Haruna said the turnout had reinforced the party’s confidence that it could meet or surpass the two-million-vote target announced by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani.
He claimed that more than one million people attended the rally, although he did not provide independently verifiable figures to substantiate the estimate.
The APC spokesman thanked President Tinubu for choosing Kaduna, the former capital of Northern Nigeria, to flag off his presidential campaign, describing the decision as a recognition of the state’s political significance and diversity.
According to him, the gathering attracted people from different backgrounds and parts of Northern Nigeria, adding that the event ended peacefully without reported injuries or major incidents.
Haruna also commended Governor Uba Sani for the organisation of the rally, saying the governor’s leadership had helped bring party members and supporters together to demonstrate solidarity with the president.
He maintained that the turnout had strengthened the APC’s belief that Tinubu could secure substantial support across Northern Nigeria in the 2027 presidential election.
The publicity secretary subsequently called on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the presidential race and support Tinubu, arguing that the Kaduna rally had weakened the opposition’s prospects in the North.
Haruna said Atiku, who is associated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), should reconsider his ambition and join forces with the president in the interest of national development.
He also criticised opposition politicians, accusing some of them of failing to adequately address the developmental challenges facing Northern Nigeria when they previously held public office.
On allegations that the APC paid supporters to attend the rally, Haruna dismissed the claims as unfounded, insisting that the turnout reflected genuine enthusiasm for Tinubu.
He said some supporters arrived at the venue on Friday night, while others queued from the early hours of Saturday to gain access to the stadium.
The APC spokesman argued that the crowd’s conduct and enthusiasm could not simply be attributed to financial inducements.
On concerns that insecurity could discourage voters, particularly in rural communities, from participating in the 2027 elections, Haruna said the federal and Kaduna State governments were working to improve security.
He cited improved access to previously affected communities and the resumption of farming activities in some areas as indications of progress, while acknowledging that security challenges had not been completely eliminated.
Haruna urged Nigerians to support Tinubu for a second term, arguing that the administration’s reforms and security efforts would yield further benefits if sustained.
He also highlighted the federal government’s continuation of the railway project linking Kaduna and Kano, describing it as an important intervention for economic development in Northern Nigeria.
The APC spokesman, however, acknowledged that insecurity remained a challenge, insisting that the federal and state governments were committed to addressing it.
He concluded by reiterating the party’s determination to mobilise at least two million votes for Tinubu in Kaduna State in 2027.
