The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has refused to disclose the location of its presidential campaign flag-off in Sokoto State, citing security concerns and alleged attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate the political event.
According to the opposition party, it had already secured a venue for the rally scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, but would only make the location public after receiving approval from its national leadership.
The decision comes amid rising political tension in Sokoto State, where the ADC has accused the state government of interfering with its activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party also alleged that attempts were being made to prevent its supporters and leaders from attending the campaign.
The ADC presidential campaign committee spokesman, Dahiru Maishanu, confirmed that preparations for the event were ongoing.
He explained that the party had taken additional security measures because of information suggesting that some individuals were planning to disrupt the gathering.
Speaking during a telephone conversation with a correspondent, Maishanu said the party was being careful about releasing details of the venue.
“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 further disclosed that the party had contacted the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) over concerns about possible security threats.
According to him, both agencies had assured the ADC that adequate protection would be provided for the rally.
Maishanu also confirmed that some members of the party had arrived in Sokoto ahead of the presidential campaign.
He dismissed concerns about accommodation difficulties, saying those who had travelled to the state had managed to secure places to stay.
“Some of our members are in town already and have secured accommodation anyway,” he said.
The ADC spokesman also addressed the controversy surrounding the sealing of the party’s state office. He said party officials had visited the Sokoto State Police Command to seek clarification over the development.
According to him, the police informed the delegation that the command was not aware of the closure.
He added that the officers explained that a property could not be shut down by a quasi-security organisation without police involvement or an appropriate court order.
“They assured us that our office is still there for us, so there is no cause for alarm,” he added.
However, the Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed that it is aware of the planned campaign and has received formal communication from the organisers requesting security coverage.
The command’s spokesman, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the organisers had written to the police from the beginning of their preparations.
He added that another letter was submitted after the initial date of the rally was changed.
Rufai said the Commissioner of Police had instructed officers to ensure that adequate security arrangements were put in place.
“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 maintained that the police would not prevent any political organisation from exercising its constitutional rights, including holding rallies and other lawful political activities.
“Campaign rally is a constitutional right, and we cannot deny anybody that, so there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
The police spokesman, however, disclosed that the command had not been informed of the specific location selected for the event.
He nevertheless assured the party that security personnel would be deployed once the necessary arrangements were communicated.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Government has rejected allegations that it is using its position to undermine the ADC’s political activities.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Barrister Nasiru Aliyu Dantsoho, defended the government’s decision to seal the party’s office, explaining that the action followed a violent confrontation involving supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ADC at the premises.
He said the government received a security report warning of the possibility of further violence if the situation was not addressed.
Dantsoho also raised questions about the ownership of the property, claiming that investigations showed that its Certificate of Occupancy was still registered in the name of the defunct Savannah Bank.
He explained that the state government had contacted the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) to obtain clarification because of the corporation’s responsibility for managing the assets of failed financial institutions.
According to the commissioner, the government’s intervention was intended to prevent further security problems and protect lives and property.
On Tuesday, APC supporters in the state organised a one-million-man rally in support of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s second-term ambition.
The procession started at the Racecourse in Sokoto metropolis before moving through Emir Yahaya Road, Bello Way and Maiduguri Road. Participants eventually arrived at the Government House gate.
The rally featured a large gathering of APC supporters and youths who displayed their support for the ruling party and its political leaders.
Despite the disagreement surrounding its preparations, the ADC national leadership has maintained that the presidential campaign flag-off will go ahead as scheduled.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the national leadership was in regular communication with its members in Sokoto and had received assurances that arrangements for the event were under control.
Speaking on Tuesday, Abdullahi expressed confidence that the rally would proceed without disruption.
“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 party’s publicity secretary accused the APC-led governments in Sokoto and at the federal level of creating difficulties for the opposition ahead of the event.
He alleged that there were attempts to create conditions that could lead to the declaration of a curfew, potentially preventing ADC leaders and supporters from reaching the state for the campaign.
“At the same time,” he continued, “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 out 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 also alleged that the party was experiencing difficulties securing private aircraft to transport some of its members and leaders to Sokoto.
He claimed that attempts to book private jets had been unsuccessful because operators repeatedly informed the party that their aircraft were already reserved.
“Even getting a private jet that will take us to Sokoto has been very difficult because they keep telling us that they had been booked but we know that it is the agents of government that are doing this. When you find a situation that because we have an event tomorrow, the private jets in the country are almost fully booked; we will still manage to get by.
“This speaks about the operating environment of the opposition in Nigeria, the intolerance of the ruling party which is trying everything to frustrate the opposition. But we will continue to be ahead of them. We are ready for the event tomorrow (today) and we are confident that Nigerians are with us and we will have a successful outing,” he added.
Beyond the allegations surrounding the campaign arrangements, the ADC has issued a direct warning to the Sokoto State Government over what it described as repeated interference with its political activities.
In a statement signed by Abdullahi, the party said Governor Ahmad Aliyu would be held responsible for any violence directed at its members or supporters during the campaign.
The opposition party argued that the government had no constitutional authority to determine which political organisations could hold rallies or present their candidates to voters.
“The Sokoto state government must understand that governing a State does not confer ownership. Public office is a temporary mandate from the people, not a licence to suppress political competition. No governor has the power to decide which party can campaign, which candidate can speak, or which political choices the people of Sokoto are allowed to consider.
“We call on the Sokoto State government to immediately end all efforts to frustrate our lawful political activities and guarantee a level playing field for all political parties. We also remind security agencies and other public institutions that their responsibility is to the Constitution and the Nigerian people, not to the political interests of the party in power,” the statement read in part.
The ADC further warned that public officials who use their positions to obstruct lawful political activities could face legal consequences.
It insisted that the party would not abandon its plans to campaign in Sokoto, despite the reported difficulties surrounding the preparations.
“Let there be no misunderstanding. The ADC will campaign in Sokoto State. We will not be intimidated, obstructed or pushed out of any part of Nigeria simply because those in power are afraid of political competition. Democratic participation is not a privilege to be granted by a governor. It is a right guaranteed by the Constitution.
“If the ruling party believes it has served the people well, it should have nothing to fear from an open contest. Intimidation cannot manufacture public support, and obstruction cannot take away the people’s right to choose their leaders. The people of Sokoto, like all Nigerians, deserve the opportunity to listen to competing ideas and make their own decisions,” it added.
