A mammoth crowd of supporters of the All Progressives Congress thronged the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata, Kano, on Saturday, as the ruling party inaugurated a support group for President Bola Tinubu and received several high-profile defectors into its fold.
The event, which attracted APC governors, senators and other chieftains of the party, also witnessed the formal unveiling of the Tinubu Support Campaign Council.
Among those to be received into the APC are former senators Rufa’i Sani Hanga, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, and Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa.
Others included the Chairman of the NNPP (Fruit Faction), Ali Datti Yako; NDC Deputy State Chairman, Badaru Umar; former Chairman of Ungogo Local Government Area, Isyaku Ali Danja; and former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Yusuf Bello Danbatta.
Also received were former PDP deputy governorship candidate, Senator Baraka Sani; former Special Adviser to the President, Abdullahi Zubairu Abiya; Chairman of the NNPP (Book Faction), and former NNPP senatorial candidate, Abdulmajid Dauda Dandawaki.
The defectors were accompanied by their supporters, who joined thousands of APC loyalists at the venue to be received into the ruling party.
The supporters, dressed in shirts and caps of various colours, including white, red and yellow, carried banners and inscriptions expressing support for the APC and its candidates.
The crowd spilled onto major roads leading to the stadium, including routes around Kanti Kwari, Kofar Mata and Kurmi markets, as well as the IBB Way.
The massive turnout also disrupted commercial activities around the stadium and parts of the Kanti Kwari textile market, with some traders reportedly shutting their shops amid concerns over the unusually large gathering.
Traffic was also heavily affected as jubilant supporters marched in groups and converged on the venue ahead of the commencement of the event.
