WHEN FACTS SPEAK, PROPAGANDA FALLS SILENT: MY RESPONSE TO THE APC MEDIA NETWORK ON THE SOUTH-SOUTH APM TOWN HALL MEETING IN UYO

WHEN FACTS SPEAK, PROPAGANDA FALLS SILENT: MY RESPONSE TO THE APC MEDIA NETWORK ON THE SOUTH-SOUTH APM TOWN HALL MEETING IN UYO

I have read the statement issued by Comrade Uwem Bassey, Acting Director General of the APC Media Network, describing the South-South APM Town Hall Meeting held at Ibom Hall, Uyo, as a flop. Ordinarily, I would not dignify every political attack with a response. However, when a public statement attempts to distort an event witnessed by many people, it becomes necessary to set the record straight.

As the South-South Coordinator of the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Campaign Organisation and the APM candidate for Eket Federal Constituency, I have a responsibility to the delegates, party members and stakeholders who participated in the event. I will not allow political propaganda to replace the facts surrounding a gathering that was successfully organised.

The South-South APM Town Hall Meeting, held on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, at the popular Ibom Hall along IBB Way, Uyo, brought together APM delegates and members from the six states of the South-South region for political engagement and discussions on the future of Nigeria. The hall was filled with participants, including youths, women and people from different walks of life. Arise News also transmitted the event live on television.

It is important to clarify that this was not a political rally, as some have attempted to portray it. It was a delegates-based town hall meeting involving APM members from across the six South-South states. Its purpose was to encourage engagement, exchange ideas and strengthen the party’s regional structures. Judging such an event by the standards of a conventional political rally is therefore misleading.

For an opposition political party to convene such a gathering, bringing delegates together from across the region, was no mean feat. It demonstrated organisational capacity and a commitment to building a political platform beyond individual states. The organisers deserve commendation for their efforts.

Comrade Bassey’s claim that the gathering was a flop raises a fundamental question: was he present at the venue, and if he was, what exactly did he observe? Political disagreement is legitimate, but dismissing an event without fairly acknowledging its purpose and participation is propaganda masquerading as public enlightenment. One may oppose a political party without abandoning intellectual honesty.

If the meeting was indeed a failure, why has it attracted so much attention from the APC’s media machinery? Why should a party described as “insignificant” provoke such a response? Political irrelevance should ordinarily attract indifference, not an elaborate press statement attempting to diminish an opposition event.

The attempt to ridicule the presidential ambition of Engr. Seyi Makinde is equally misplaced. As the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), his ambition deserves to be assessed on the strength of his ideas, record, character and proposed policies, rather than the insults of political opponents. A presidential ambition is not child’s play simply because the candidate belongs to a party the ruling party considers small. Political fortunes change, established assumptions collapse, and electorates can choose a different direction when circumstances demand it.

The APC should understand that the size of a political party today does not determine its relevance tomorrow. The South-South Town Hall Meeting demonstrated the APM’s capacity to bring together delegates and members from the six states of the region for meaningful political engagement. That is a reality worth acknowledging, whether or not one supports our party.

Beyond the argument over attendance lies a more important national conversation. Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship, rising living costs, insecurity and unemployment. Terrorism, banditry and kidnapping continue to threaten communities and livelihoods in parts of the country. The naira has suffered a significant loss of value, while families struggle to afford food and businesses battle rising operating costs.

These are the realities that deserve serious attention. The APC cannot expect Nigerians to ignore their daily struggles simply because its media operatives have issued statements celebrating the party’s supposed popularity. Although some of these challenges predate the Tinubu administration, the responsibility to deliver measurable improvements rests with the government in power.

Akwa Ibom State also faces important questions concerning education, healthcare, roads and the utilisation of public resources. Concerns about inadequate teachers, dilapidated school infrastructure and the quality of healthcare demand sincere attention. Public revenue must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.

The question is not whether the APC has the right to defend its record. It certainly does. The question is whether it is prepared to defend that record with evidence, accountability and tangible results rather than attempting to discredit every alternative political voice.

As a campaign coordinator, I recognise that participation in a political gathering does not automatically translate into electoral victory. We do not claim that every delegate who attended the town hall meeting has already made a final voting decision. Elections are decided at the ballot box. Nevertheless, no honest observer should dismiss a delegates-based political meeting merely because it was organised by an opposition party.

I therefore advise Comrade Uwem Bassey and the APC Media Network to concentrate on presenting their party’s achievements and explaining its plans for the future. If the APC believes it enjoys overwhelming support in Akwa Ibom and across the South-South, it should demonstrate that confidence through good governance, credible performance and respect for the intelligence of the electorate.

The 2027 elections will provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the political parties and make their choices. Until then, no party should confuse propaganda with public opinion or mistake political office for an irrevocable mandate.

The South-South APM Town Hall Meeting took place, delegates and party members from the six states participated, discussions were held, and the event received public attention. No press statement can rewrite that reality.

I remain grateful to our Presidential Candidate, Gov Seyi Makinde, the leaders, stakeholders, delegates and participants whose contributions made the meeting possible. We remain focused on building our structures, engaging the people and promoting an alternative vision for Nigeria.

When facts speak, propaganda falls silent. When people gather to discuss their political future, no political party can monopolise the microphone. And when the ballot comes, it is the people (not political press statements) who will have the final word.

Barrister Akpadiaha Ebitu
South-South Coordinator, Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Campaign Organisation
APM Candidate for Eket/ Onna/ Esit Eket/ Ibeno Federal Constituency
22 October 2026