Dr Musa Kwankwaso, member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council says the growing online uproar against President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid lacks the capacity of determining the outcome of the ballot in 2027.
Kwankwaso, who hosted newsmen on Tuesday in Kaduna, said that the victory for the 2027 presidency would not be gotten on social media.
He firmly stated that the final decision lies with voters at the polling units, not with hashtags, trends, or online campaigns.
Kwankwaso said the scale of the mobilisation at the Kaduna rally had revealed that the political contest extended far beyond the digital space, insisting that the North-West had made its position known.
The APC chieftain noted that the opposition’s attempt to build momentum through social-media narratives would have little impact if it could not be translated into genuine grassroots support and votes on election day.
Following his speech, he said that political parties seeking to gain victory over Tinubu must confront the reality of organising voters, mobilising supporters and convincing Nigerians at the polling units.
He said that the ruling party was already ahead, and challenged the opposition to confront what he described as the substance of Tinubu’s administration rather than relying principally on propaganda to undermine the president.
He also said the administration’s policies and development agenda would remain part of the issues voters would assess when deciding who should occupy the presidency after the 2027 election.
Kwankwaso said the Kaduna rally had gone beyond a routine party gathering, describing it as a political signal that should not be dismissed because of contrary narratives circulating online.
He said the turnout showed the dedication of supporters who, unlike online campaigners, will ultimately get to make their choice count at the ballot box.
He encouraged political stakeholders to move the debate away from what he described as narrow political interests and focus on the issues that matter to Nigerians, including development, national cohesion and equitable distribution of resources.
"As for us in the APC, we will continue to take our message to the grassroots, where the real contest for votes would be decided.(NAN)