Kaduna Governor Uba Sani urges opposition to campaign in person, warns 25% vote share a failure

Kaduna Governor calls 25% opposition vote a failure

On 26 October 2026, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani appeared on the Lagos‑based TVC programme to discuss the forthcoming 2027 general elections. He stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would regard any opposition candidate who manages to secure 25 per cent of the votes in Kaduna as a failure. The governor also warned that the opposition should not rely on social media attacks but must meet voters in person through rallies and town‑hall meetings.

Sani’s remarks came after the APC’s national chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatada, pledged that the North would give President Bola Tinubu 70 per cent of its votes, with Kaduna expected to deliver an even higher percentage. In the same interview, the governor pointed out the development projects the president has introduced to the state during the last three and a half years.

Background

Kaduna State has been a key battleground in Nigerian politics. The APC, led by President Tinubu, has focused on infrastructure and education projects in the region. The governor cited the handover of Ahmadu Bello Stadium, the reconstruction of the 123‑km Kaduna‑Birnin Gwari road, the Zaria‑Soba‑Kambuwa road, and a proposed metropolitan light‑rail project as evidence of the president’s commitment. The rail project has an approved budget of $865 million, with $300 million already mobilised by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

The governor also mentioned that Kaduna now contains four federal universities: the upgraded Federal University of Education, Zaria; the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia; the proposed Shehu Musa Yar’adua University of Petroleum Studies; and the transformed Kaduna Polytechnic, which has become the Federal University of Technology.

Why it matters

The governor’s comments set a high bar for opposition performance in Kaduna. A 25 per cent vote share is considered a failure by the APC, implying that the ruling party expects near‑unanimous support for President Tinubu in the state. The emphasis on direct campaigning reflects a broader strategy to counter the opposition’s reliance on digital tactics, including the use of artificial intelligence and doctored images. The governor’s stance may influence how opposition parties allocate resources and organise their campaigns in the lead‑up to the elections.

What happens next

The governor’s statements were made during a TVC interview and have been reported by Vanguard, Daily Post and Daily Trust. No further official policy changes or electoral directives have been announced. The next steps will depend on how opposition parties respond to the governor’s call for in‑person engagement and whether they adjust their campaign strategies accordingly. The 2027 general elections will ultimately determine whether the APC’s expectations are met and how the opposition’s performance is judged.