By Rayyanu Bala
The APC presidential campaign Flag-off in Kaduna has sent a strong message to Nasarawa State and, perhaps, to everyone who has been following the political developments ahead of the 2027 general elections. It is a message that deserves serious reflection, especially among those who have been promoting the idea of a so-called rainbow coalition.
Since the conclusion of party primaries and the emergence of candidates for various elective positions, there has been considerable talk across the country about how the 2027 elections might unfold. In Nasarawa, one of the arguments gaining ground is that APC supporters were at liberty to vote President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for president while voting for candidates from other political parties in the governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections.
The idea, as they presented it, is that: vote for Tinubu at the top and vote whoever you prefer at the bottom. In other words, Nigerians, and particularly the people of Nasarawa, could separate their presidential choice from their choices for other elective positions.
However, some of the statements attributed to people within the upper echelons of the party and government have been interpreted as giving room for such an arrangement. This has encouraged the belief that APC supporters can vote the president without necessarily voting the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates contesting other positions.
But the question now is: does the message coming from Kaduna support that interpretation?
From the speeches delivered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Director-General of the campaign council, Abdulaziz Yari, at the campaign Flag-off, the message, as conveyed by their repeated emphasis on party-wide support, point to a different direction. The call for support was framed around the APC, from the presidential level down to other elective positions.
The emphasis on “APC from top to bottom” and “APC all the way” raises a fundamental question about the rainbow coalition narrative. If the campaign leadership is asking voters to support APC candidates across the board, where exactly does the idea of voting for Tinubu at the top and candidates from other parties at the bottom fit in?
The message from the APC campaign rally in Kaduna is that the party deserves support at every level.
At the very least, the speeches at the Kaduna rally rendered the rainbow coalition argument ineffective. Those who have been advancing that narrative must now explain how it aligns with the rally’s insistence on an all-APC victory.
For Nasarawa APC stakeholders, supporters and political leaders, the message should be clear: both speeches emphasize building support for the party as a whole, not voting for Tinubu alone .
Those who want Tinubu to return to Aso Rock while supporting candidates from other political parties will have to reconcile their position with the directives by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice Kashim Shattima as well as the APC campaign council,
The message from Kaduna suggests that the APC wants its supporters to rally behind the party at all levels.
Since, the slogan now is “APC from top to bottom” and “APC all the way,” then the presidential council has made its preference known.
As the road to 2027 unfolds, the elements in APC in Nasasarwa state must decide to follow the directives of the President, Vice President and of course, the APC national campaign council.
The takeaway for Nasarawa is clear: now that the President and Vice President as well as presidential campaign council says APC from top to bottom, then let the debate be honest, let the positions be clear, and let the supporters decide with their eyes wide open.
