Empty Seats Overshadow Tinubu’s Plateau Campaign Rally as Social Media Reactions Raise Questions Over APC Mobilisation
Empty Seats Overshadow Tinubu’s Plateau Campaign Rally as Social Media Reactions Raise Questions Over APC Mobilisation
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign rally in Plateau State has come under public scrutiny following the circulation of photographs and videos on social media purportedly showing several unoccupied seats at the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-Central presidential rally in Jos.
The rally, held on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the Zaria Road Stadium in Jos, was part of the ruling party’s activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election. It was expected to demonstrate the APC’s political strength and mobilisation capacity across the North-Central region.
However, attention shifted to the apparent gaps in attendance after footage from the event began generating reactions online, with some social media users questioning the level of public enthusiasm for the President’s re-election campaign.
The development has triggered political discussions, particularly as the APC leadership in Plateau State had embarked on extensive mobilisation ahead of the President’s visit, with assurances that supporters would be drawn from the state’s 17 local government areas and neighbouring states.
Ahead of the rally, the state government had expressed confidence in its preparations, promising a well-organised gathering that would attract prominent political figures, party stakeholders and supporters from across the North-Central region.
President Tinubu eventually arrived in Jos, where he was received by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda and other prominent party leaders.
Reports from the event indicated that supporters had gathered at different locations across the city, with groups of women, youths, traders and other party faithful lining sections of the route from Yakubu Gowon Airport to the rally venue. Cultural performances and solidarity songs were also part of the activities.
Despite these reported gatherings, the images showing apparently unoccupied sections of the stadium became a major subject of online discussion, with critics questioning whether the mobilisation matched the expectations and political significance attached to the presidential visit.
At the rally, Governor Mutfwang declared his administration’s support for Tinubu’s re-election, insisting that Plateau State was prepared to deliver unprecedented votes for the APC in 2027.
The governor described Tinubu as a friend of Plateau State and the North-Central region, citing federal interventions in road infrastructure, education and healthcare as evidence of the President’s commitment to the state.
He also appealed to the President to assist in completing the Zaria Road Stadium project, which he said had remained unfinished for about four decades, and to support efforts aimed at facilitating the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral communities.
In his address, Tinubu assured Plateau residents of his administration’s commitment to rebuilding communities affected by insurgency and restoring displaced persons to their homes.
The President also reiterated his commitment to improving the economy and delivering prosperity, urging Nigerians to work together towards national development.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who also addressed the gathering, described Tinubu as a transformational leader and disclosed that N11.34 billion had been disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to beneficiaries across Plateau State.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also assured residents that the Federal Government remained committed to addressing insecurity and supporting the return of displaced communities. He expressed support for the establishment of state police, describing it as an initiative that could strengthen community-based security.
The rally also featured the presentation of APC flags to governorship candidates from states across the North-Central region by the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
The controversy surrounding the apparent empty seats has nevertheless added another dimension to the political conversations ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly regarding the ruling party’s grassroots mobilisation and its ability to translate political endorsements into massive electoral support.
While the circulating images have generated questions about attendance, they do not, on their own, establish the overall turnout at the rally, as other reports also documented supporters gathering at the venue and along the President’s route.
The episode underscores the growing influence of social media in shaping public perception of political events, with images and videos increasingly becoming instruments through which Nigerians assess the popularity, organisation and public acceptance of political parties and their candidates.
Credit X ANN Politics
