Hon. Victor Mathew Bobai, Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, has stated that Southern Kaduna has effectively become a closed political territory for the opposition. Speaking on Invicta Radio in Kaduna, Bobai described the All Progressives Congress (APC)'s ongoing mobilisation as evidence of a "total shutdown" across the 12 local government areas of Southern Kaduna. He listed the areas as Kaduna South, Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia, Kagarko, Kaura, Kauru, Sanga, Jema'a, Zangon Kataf, Lere, and Jaba.
According to Bobai, the APC's strength in the area has been reinforced by the emergence of the party's Deputy Governorship Candidate, Jerry Adams, a grassroots politician capable of driving the party's mobilisation across the region. Bobai said the APC's argument in Southern Kaduna goes beyond campaign rhetoric, insisting that the party's political mobilisation is being supported by visible evidence of development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani. He cited the approval of the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia and the Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan as federal interventions that have strengthened the APC's appeal in Southern Kaduna.
Bobai highlighted the Uba Sani administration's road and healthcare projects across Kaduna State, saying the government is implementing more than 78 road projects covering approximately 775 kilometres. He specifically mentioned the Magajiya-Amaru-Unguwan Liman road and the Madauchi-Madakiya-Kafanchan corridor, adding that the 23-kilometre Madauchi-Kafanchan road through Madakiya has been completed and commissioned, while the Jaba-Kwoi road has also been flagged off. Additionally, he cited the upgrading of 255 healthcare centres and the renovation of 15 general hospitals, including Kachia General Hospital.
The governor's aide also identified what he called the "CG Musa factor" as another major component of the APC's emerging grassroots mobilisation strategy. General Christopher Gwabin Musa, Minister of Defence and former Chief of Defence Staff, has become associated with interventions in schools, clinics, boreholes, peace-building initiatives, and other community-focused programmes, particularly in areas affected by insecurity. Bobai said this approach involves youth engagement and development initiatives designed to provide young people with alternatives to criminality and insurgent recruitment.
Bobai referenced the Musawah for Youth and Development Initiative, a platform to encourage youth and women's participation in national development, and said the Friends of CG Musa network has expanded its grassroots structures across Kaduna's 23 local government areas. The mobilisation strategy is designed to go beyond rallies and large gatherings by taking political engagement directly to communities and households. Bobai said the Friends of CG Musa network intends to intensify grassroots engagement across the North-West, with Kaduna serving as a major centre of mobilisation for President Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani ahead of the 2027 elections.
Bobai linked the political mobilisation to security, citing Governor Uba Sani's revival of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service and plans to recruit 7,000 youths into the community-based security structure. He said the combination of infrastructure delivery, healthcare, education, youth mobilisation, welfare interventions, and security initiatives has created a formidable grassroots structure for the APC ahead of 2027. This approach aims to provide a comprehensive framework for the party's mobilisation efforts in Southern Kaduna.
In conclusion, Bobai stated that Southern Kaduna is not just sealed but bolted, locked, and the key thrown into River Kaduna, with the APC's mobilisation efforts driven by visible evidence of development under President Tinubu and Governor Sani. The party's strategy involves a multi-faceted approach, combining infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and youth mobilisation to create a strong grassroots foundation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Key points
- Southern Kaduna has been declared a closed political territory for the opposition by Hon. Victor Mathew Bobai, Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani.
- The APC's mobilisation efforts in Southern Kaduna are driven by visible evidence of development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani.
- The party's strategy involves a multi-faceted approach, combining infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and youth mobilisation to create a strong grassroots foundation ahead of the 2027 elections.
