After the All Progressive Congress (APC) victory in Kaduna at the just concluded by-elections, the State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, took a subtle swipe at his predecessor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, declaring that there are no polling units on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
The governor, who spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC shortly after the party’s victory in Saturday’s bye-election, cautioned party members against being carried away by social media propaganda.
Sani said while the opposition dwelt on “Twitter battles and Facebook noise,” the APC focused on grassroots mobilisation, inclusivity, and delivering good governance, which gave the party victory at the polls.
“There is no ballot box on Twitter. There is no ballot box on Instagram or Facebook. Elections are won at the grassroots, not on social media,” the governor said to loud applause from the party faithful.
His remarks were widely interpreted as a dig at former Governor El-Rufai, who is known for his strong social media presence and frequent political commentaries on Twitter (now X).
Sani maintained that propaganda could never win elections, insisting that only governance, inclusivity, and people-centred policies could sustain the APC in power.
“Our opponents chose to fight the propaganda battle, but we chose to fight the political battle. They lost because the people know who is working for them. We will not waste our time on social media noise-making,” he said.
The governor told party leaders and stakeholders that Saturday’s victory was historic, particularly in areas where the APC had never won since 1999. He said the feat was made possible by his administration’s deliberate focus on economic development, rural empowerment, and agriculture.
“Since 1999, some communities had never voted for our party. But today, they stood with us because they saw inclusivity in action. We made a pledge to defend everyone, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or party affiliation—and we kept it,” he added.
Sani highlighted the state’s investment in agriculture, saying his government reclaimed over 500,000 hectares of farmlands previously abandoned due to insecurity and made Kaduna a leader in maize, tomato, and ginger production.
He said the APC’s agricultural policies, backed by massive budgetary allocations, had restored hope to rural communities, stressing that “the people at the grassroots are the real voters who matter.”
The governor also urged party executives not to abandon the APC manifesto, warning that the only way to guarantee electoral success in 2027 was to remain connected to the people.
“Party first, politics second. Let us not forget our manifesto. Let us not abandon our wards and local governments. If we remain with the people, no party can defeat us,” he told them.
On his part, the APC State Chairman, Air Commodore Emmanuel Jekada (rtd.), commended the governor’s inclusive style of leadership and praised stakeholders for ensuring victory in the bye-election.
He expressed confidence that with unity, the party would consolidate power in 2027.
