By Tom Garba
Kaduna State is preparing to host a major rally of the All Progressives Congress as President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, APC governors, ministers and other party leaders are expected to converge on the state for the campaign event on Saturday.
The rally, which will bring together party officials and supporters from different parts of the country, is being viewed by the APC as an opportunity to demonstrate its organisational strength and mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kaduna Governor, Senator Uba Sani, is leading preparations for the event, with the state government setting up committees to coordinate logistics, security, transportation, publicity and other arrangements required for the rally.
The choice of Kaduna as host has also drawn attention to the state’s political significance in Northern Nigeria, where the APC is seeking to consolidate its support base and strengthen its electoral prospects ahead of the next presidential poll.
### Uba Sani coordinates preparations
As part of the preparations, Sani constituted a Local Organising Committee chaired by his deputy, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and other party leaders among its members.
Several subcommittees have also been established to oversee party affairs, programme planning, protocol, venue management, transportation, mobilisation, media and publicity, security, finance, welfare, medical services and legal matters.
The committees are expected to coordinate activities to ensure the smooth running of the rally and the arrival of party leaders and supporters from across the country.
The venue, Kaduna Township Stadium, is also undergoing preparations ahead of the event, with organisers anticipating a large turnout of APC supporters.
### Publicity drive targets supporters
The Media and Publicity Subcommittee, led by the state Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, is coordinating publicity for the rally across traditional and digital media platforms.
The campaign is expected to focus on the APC’s Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to mobilise party members and supporters ahead of the 2027 elections.
Organisers are also counting on the participation of youth groups, traders, farmers, students, community leaders and other interest groups to demonstrate the party’s reach across the state.
### Security, logistics take centre stage
Security and traffic management are among the major areas being addressed by the organising committees, alongside transportation, accommodation, medical services and emergency response.
The preparations come amid the need to ensure the safe movement of dignitaries and supporters attending the rally.
The organisers have expressed confidence in the state’s readiness to host the gathering, although the actual turnout and the event’s political impact will become clearer on the day.
### Political significance
The rally is expected to provide the APC with an opportunity to assess its mobilisation capacity in Kaduna and the wider North as political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sani’s administration is also seeking to use the event to showcase its record in infrastructure development, urban renewal, security and inclusive governance.
For the APC, a successful rally could serve as a morale booster for party members and provide a platform for strengthening internal coordination as the party prepares for the next electoral contest.
However, the ability of the gathering to translate into electoral gains will ultimately depend on the party’s sustained engagement with voters, its campaign strategy and public response to its policies.
With preparations continuing, Kaduna is expected to host a major gathering of APC leaders and supporters on Saturday, placing the state at the centre of the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of 2027.
Tom Garba, ANIPR, SPSP, is the Executive Director of KSMC Television.
