Kano State Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Abdullah, has argued that large political gatherings in the state may not always reflect genuine grassroots support but can be deliberately organized through planning and resource deployment. He stated that the size of a crowd should not be taken at face value as proof of a politician’s popularity, as appearances can be influenced by external factors.
He added that public perception of political strength is often shaped by sentiment, where observers assume that large turnouts automatically indicate widespread approval. However, he cautioned that without examining how such crowds are assembled, this interpretation may be misleading. According to him, what appears to be spontaneous enthusiasm can sometimes be the outcome of coordinated efforts behind the scenes.
He further noted that assembling large gatherings is largely a logistical exercise. With adequate funding and proper organization, he claimed it is possible to mobilize significant numbers of people for political events in Kano. In his view, such crowds are rented, and attendance is influenced by incentives and structured mobilization rather than purely voluntary political conviction.
Abdullah stressed that strategic organization can easily create the visual impression of strong political support, and that viral images and large rallies may not always accurately represent the true level of public backing in the state’s political landscape.
In a recent interview with Channels Television, he said, “This is not only a political hypothesis. Somebody may be driven by sentiment based on what they’ve seen, the crowd they have witnessed. If you come to Kano, I can arrange this kind of crowd for you. If you provide resources, I can organize such a crowd; it is simply a matter of mobilizing people, it’s a rented crowd…..See More
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