…Questions Abuja–Kaduna highway claims, alleges poor turnout at APC campaign flag-off
The Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna, describing the event as a missed opportunity to address Nigerians’ concerns over economic hardship and insecurity.
The organisation also called on Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support the Allied People’s Movement (APM) candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde, whom it said was offering an alternative through his proposed RESET NIGERIA agenda.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Director of Strategic Communications of MDPCO, Richard Nnanna Ihediwa, described the Kaduna rally as a “carnival of deceit and lies”, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of repeating campaign promises without adequately addressing the challenges facing Nigerians.
The organisation argued that residents of the North-West, a region grappling with insecurity and economic difficulties, deserved concrete commitments on improving their living conditions rather than assurances of continuity and future prosperity.
It said Tinubu’s speech failed to sufficiently address the impact of his administration’s economic policies since he assumed office in May 2023.
The group also faulted the President for allegedly blaming the opposition for hunger and poverty, insisting that the administration should take responsibility for the effects of its policies.
It questioned Tinubu’s promise of a better future for young Nigerians, citing unemployment, rising living costs and the August 2024 protests against hunger as issues requiring urgent attention.
The organisation also recalled the arrest and prosecution of some protesters, including minors, over their participation in demonstrations in parts of northern Nigeria, arguing that the incident reflected concerns about young people’s ability to express grievances.
Questions highway project claims
MDPCO also challenged the presentation of a section of the Abuja–Kaduna highway project during the campaign flag-off, arguing that work on a portion of an inherited project should not be portrayed as the completion of the entire expressway.
It said the reported commissioning of an 88-kilometre stretch of the road did not amount to the completion of the wider Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway.
The organisation called on the government to clearly distinguish between completed sections, ongoing construction and outstanding work when presenting infrastructure achievements to Nigerians.
It also questioned why Tinubu did not visit the project site, suggesting that security considerations or concerns about public reception might have influenced the decision. However, the group provided no evidence to establish either explanation.
Disputes rally turnout
The campaign organisation further alleged that the Kaduna rally recorded a disappointing turnout despite what it claimed was a mobilisation expenditure of ₦2.3 trillion.
It argued that financial inducements could not guarantee popular support and maintained that attempts to influence voters with money ahead of the 2027 elections would not necessarily translate into electoral backing.
MDPCO also criticised the security presence at the event, interpreting it as a possible indication of concerns about public acceptance of the administration.
It maintained that security deployments and campaign activities could not replace public confidence in government policies.
However, the organisation did not provide independent evidence to substantiate its claims about the rally’s attendance or the alleged ₦2.3 trillion mobilisation expenditure.
Wants Tinubu to back Makinde
Reiterating its call for Tinubu to step aside from the 2027 presidential contest, MDPCO urged the President to support Makinde, the APM candidate.
The organisation said Makinde’s proposed RESET NIGERIA agenda offered an alternative approach to tackling the country’s economic and social challenges.
It called on Nigerians to examine alternative policy proposals as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general election.
The APC and the Presidency’s responses to the organisation’s allegations were not included in the statement.
