African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has questioned the size of the crowd at President Bola Tinubu’s campaign rally in Kaduna, alleging that supporters were transported from different parts of Nigeria to fill the stadium.
Sowore argued that the attendance at the All Progressives Congress rally should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of widespread public support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The AAC candidate made the allegation in a post on his verified Facebook account on Saturday, following the APC’s presidential campaign flag-off at Ranchers Bees Stadium, also known as Kaduna Township Stadium.
He claimed that the venue had a capacity of about 5,000 people and alleged that the ruling party mobilised supporters from across the country to fill it.
“The All Progressives Congress and the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime want Nigerians to mistake a ‘packed’ stadium for nationwide support,” Sowore wrote.
He added: “Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna holds just 5,000 people, even at that, supporters were transported in from across Nigeria to fill it.”
The allegations were made as the APC began its campaign to secure another presidential term for Tinubu in the January 16, 2027 election.
The rally attracted the President, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, APC governors, ministers, lawmakers and other party leaders.
The event marked the formal launch of the ruling party’s presidential campaign, with Tinubu appealing to supporters to mobilise voters ahead of the election.
Addressing the crowd, the President expressed appreciation for the turnout and urged Nigerians to support his re-election bid.
“Thank you for this massive showing up. It is a promise. Come 2027, January 16, you must go out massively and elect me again,” Tinubu said.
The President also defended his administration’s economic policies amid public concerns over hunger, poverty and the cost of living.
He accused opposition politicians of being responsible for the country’s economic difficulties, maintaining that his government was working to address the problems.
Sowore, however, dismissed the rally as insufficient evidence of the President’s electoral strength and predicted that Tinubu would lose the 2027 election.
“In 2027, Tinubu will still lose the election,” he declared.
The accusation adds to the political exchanges surrounding the campaign flag-off, as opposition figures challenge the APC’s claims of popularity and question the government’s performance.
However, Sowore’s allegation that supporters were transported from different parts of the country was not independently established in the report.
The rally’s attendance and the extent to which it reflects broader voter sentiment remain separate questions as political parties prepare for the 2027 polls.
