morganable politics/elections
On the sealing of the party’s state office, the spokesman said its leadership had visited the Sokoto State Police Command, where they were informed that the police had no knowledge of the closure.
KaNo —
The African Democratic Congress has withheld the venue of its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto State ahead of Wednesday’s flag-off, citing security concerns amid allegations of attempts to disrupt the political event.
The party said it had taken precautionary measures to prevent possible disruption following reports of an alleged plot to frustrate the rally scheduled for November 4.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in the state following the sealing of the party’s state secretariat by the Sokoto State Government, allegations of attacks on its supporters and accusations of political interference by the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The ADC presidential campaign committee spokesman, Dahiru Maishanu, disclosed this during an interview with Punch News, saying the party had secured a venue but was awaiting clearance from its national headquarters before making the location public.
“We have secured a place for the campaign rally, but due to one or two reasons, I may not be able to disclose that for now. If time permits and I get clearance from the national headquarters, you will be briefed,” Maishanu said.
He said the party had approached the police and the Department of State Services over reports of a possible plot to disrupt the rally, adding that both security agencies had assured it of adequate protection.
According to him, the party was confident that the security agencies would provide the necessary protection for its leaders, members and supporters expected to attend the event.
Maishanu also disclosed that some party members had already arrived in Sokoto ahead of the campaign flag-off despite what he described as restrictions on accommodation for its guests by the state government.
“Some of our members are in town already and have secured accommodation anyway,” he said.
On the sealing of the party’s state office, the spokesman said its leadership had visited the Sokoto State Police Command, where they were informed that the police had no knowledge of the closure.
He added that the police also maintained that no quasi-security agency could independently enforce the closure of a property without police involvement or a court order.
“They assured us that our office is still there for us, so there is no cause for alarm,” he added.
The spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed that the command was aware of the planned rally and had received an official letter from the organisers requesting security coverage.
He said the Commissioner of Police had directed officers to provide adequate protection for the event.
“We are ready to provide maximum security for them tomorrow. They wrote to us from the first day they chose, and they even wrote to us when it was postponed.
“We are fully aware of it tomorrow, and the CP has directed the command to do the needful,” Rufai said.
He described political campaigns as a constitutional right, stressing that the police would not deny any political party the opportunity to exercise such a right.
“Campaign rally is a constitutional right, and we cannot deny anybody that, so there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
However, Rufai said the command had yet to receive information about the specific venue of the rally, although he assured that necessary security arrangements would be made.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Government has defended its decision to seal the ADC office, dismissing allegations that the action was intended to frustrate the opposition party’s political activities.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Barrister Nasiru Aliyu Dantsoho, said the government acted following a violent confrontation between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and the ADC at the premises.
He explained that the confrontation was followed by a security report warning of possible further violence, prompting the government to intervene to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Dantsoho further disclosed that investigations into the ownership of the property revealed that its Certificate of Occupancy remained registered in the name of the defunct Savannah Bank.
According to him, the state government had approached the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation for clarification because of the agency’s responsibility for managing the assets of failed financial institutions.
He maintained that the government’s intervention was necessary to protect lives and property and prevent further security breaches.
The disagreement over the ADC office has added to the political atmosphere in Sokoto as parties intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
On Tuesday, supporters of the APC staged what they described as a one-million-man rally in support of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s second-term ambitions.
The procession began at the Racecourse in Sokoto metropolis and moved through Emir Yahaya Road, Bello Way and Maiduguri Road before terminating at the Government House gate.
The rally, which featured a carnival-like display, came a day before the ADC’s planned presidential campaign flag-off in the state.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the venue, the ADC national leadership insisted that the event would proceed as scheduled.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said all arrangements had been concluded for the campaign flag-off, expressing confidence that the rally would not be disrupted.
Speaking exclusively with Punch on Tuesday, Abdullahi said the party was in constant communication with its leaders in Sokoto, who had assured the national leadership that preparations were progressing smoothly.
“The ADC presidential campaign is kicking off tomorrow (Wednesday) in Sokoto Insha Allah. We are in touch with party leaders in Sokoto. They have assured us that everything is under control and that there is not going to be any disruption and that everything has been firmed up. We are looking forward to a successful flag-off,” Abdullahi said.
However, the national publicity secretary accused the APC-led governments in Sokoto and at the federal level of allegedly working to frustrate the opposition party’s political activities.
He claimed that the party had received information about plans to create conditions that could lead to the imposition of a curfew and prevent its members and supporters from accessing the state for the rally.
“At the same time, we know that the ruling party in the state, probably acting on the authority of its leadership, is trying everything within their means to frustrate our effort. We heard today that they are trying to create a condition that would enable them to impose a curfew so that we would not be able to get to Sokoto. We know this, but we are not going to be deterred in Sokoto for the flag-off,” Abdullahi said.
The allegations have further heightened the political tension between the ADC and the APC in the state, with both sides maintaining opposing positions over the circumstances surrounding the planned campaign.
While the ADC insists that its activities must be allowed to proceed without interference, the state government maintains that its intervention over the party’s office was driven by security considerations and the need to protect public property.
The police have, however, assured political parties of their constitutional right to campaign and promised adequate security for Wednesday’s event.
The controversy comes as political parties begin preparations and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Sokoto emerging as a fresh battleground in the growing political contest.
