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Campaign kickoff: ADC keeps venue secret after rift with Sokoto govt
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The party said it was taking precautionary measures to avoid being caught unawares, following reports of a possible plot to frustrate the rally scheduled for November 4.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in Sokoto, following the sealing of the party’s state office by the state government, allegations of attacks on its supporters and accusations of political interference by the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The ADC’s presidential campaign committee spokesman, Dahiru Maishanu, disclosed in a telephone conversation with our correspondent that 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 disclosed that the party had approached the police and the Department of State Services over reports of a plot to disrupt the rally, adding that both security agencies had assured it of adequate protection.
Maishanu also said some party members had arrived in Sokoto ahead of the event 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 office, Maishanu said its leadership had visited the state police command, where they were informed that the police had no knowledge of the closure.
He added that the police also claimed 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, also confirmed that the command was aware of the rally and had received an official letter from the organisers requesting security coverage.
He said the Commissioner of Police had directed the command to provide adequate security 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, adding 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 venue but assured that security arrangements would be made.
ADC Sokoto office
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Government has defended its decision to seal the ADC office, dismissing allegations that the action was intended to frustrate the party’s political activities.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Barrister Nasiru Aliyu Dantsoho, said the government acted following a violent confrontation between Peoples Democratic Party and ADC supporters at the premises and a subsequent security report warning of possible further violence.
He explained that investigations into the ownership of the property showed that its Certificate of Occupancy was still registered in the name of the defunct Savannah Bank.
According to him, the government had approached the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation for clarification because of its responsibility for managing the assets of failed banks.
Dantsoho said the intervention was necessary to prevent a breakdown of law and order and protect lives and property.
The controversy comes as political parties intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
On Tuesday, APC youths in Sokoto staged 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 in a carnival-like display.
‘Campaign will hold’
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said all arrangements had been concluded for the campaign flag-off, expressing confidence that the event would proceed without disruption.
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH on Tuesday, Abdullahi said the party was in contact with its leaders in Sokoto, who had assured the national leadership that everything was under control.
“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.
He, however, accused the ruling APC-led governments in Sokoto and at the national level of plotting to disrupt the political exercise, warning that the party would resist any attempt to scuttle its activities.
“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.”
The publicity scribe also accused the APC-led government of frustrating the party’s efforts to secure private jets to transport its members to Sokoto for the campaign.
“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.
ADC warns Sokoto
The ADC also warned the Sokoto State Government against what it described as continued interference with its campaign activities, declaring that Governor Ahmad Aliyu would be held responsible for any violence against the opposition in the state.
In a statement signed by Abdullahi, the party condemned what it described as a growing pattern of political obstruction in the North-West state ahead of Wednesday’s presidential rally.
“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 party warned that public officials who abused their authority and obstructed lawful political activities must be prepared to face the consequences of their actions under the law.
“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.
Atiku accuses DSS
Meanwhile, the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku, accused the DSS of plotting to disrupt the party’s presidential campaign rally in Sokoto.
Addressing journalists at his Abuja residence on Tuesday, the former Vice-President also accused the state government of blocking the use of public facilities by the opposition party.
He said logistical support had been withheld, describing the development as a deliberate attempt to deny the ADC a level playing field.
Atiku said, “The information available to us is that the leadership of the Department of State Services is recruiting people to stage protests in Sokoto. The objective is to create disorder, give the APC-controlled state government a pretext to impose a curfew and prevent our campaign take off from holding as scheduled.
“We know where some of these protesters are assembled: an office behind Zenith Bank on Koko Road. Trucks are stationed there and dispatched to key points, including the roundabout. These mobilised protesters are causing gridlock. Commuters are being threatened and, in some cases, beaten. Some of the protesters have moved away from the roundabout to find shade.”
He added, “This is not intelligence work. It is political interference dressed in official uniform. Security agencies exist to protect Nigerians and uphold the law, not to recruit protesters or help a political party manufacture a crisis. I call on every officer involved to stop immediately and return to the constitutional duty of impartial service.”
Atiku also criticised the Tinubu-led administration, accusing it of devoting too much energy “to weakening credible opposition and too little to solving the problems facing Nigerians.”
He said the government had pursued “a politics of absorption and intimidation,” drawing former opposition figures into the APC and narrowing the space for political competition.
“The aim is to reduce Nigeria to a one party state in all but name,” he said.
According to Atiku, the government was afraid of the people’s verdict, having presided over a cost-of-living crisis that had left millions struggling to meet basic needs.
He said, “The government is afraid of the people’s verdict. It has unleashed a crushing cost of living crisis and now appears determined to frustrate Nigerians’ democratic right to choose a different path. Food, transport, fuel, electricity and other essentials have become unaffordable for millions. Families are struggling to feed their children, pay school fees and keep their businesses alive. That is the record this government should be defending before the people, instead of trying to stop a rally.”
The former Vice-President pledged to make life more affordable if elected, saying his administration would support local production, strengthen food production, create jobs and reduce the cost of doing business.
He said, “We will support local production, strengthen food production, create jobs and reduce the cost of doing business. We will pursue a targeted production subsidy tied to fuel refined in Nigeria, so that support reaches consumers through measurable relief while also strengthening domestic industry.”
Atiku described the 2027 general election as a defining moment in the country’s democratic history.
“This is more than a contest between parties or candidates. It is a choice between a government that has shown indifference to people’s suffering and Nigerians who have endured enough and want their votes to count.
“The ADC will resist every gimmick, administrative roadblock and underhand manoeuvre designed to exclude the opposition or impose a one-party reality on Nigeria. We will not be intimidated into silence or irrelevance. Our campaign will proceed, and I will be in Sokoto tomorrow, God willing, to address the good people of the state.
“I call on the people of Sokoto to remain calm and peaceful. Do not allow anyone to provoke you or turn a political gathering into a security crisis. I also urge the security agencies to protect commuters, residents and rally participants without favour. The authorities must ensure that our rally can hold peacefully and without interference.
“As the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, I give you my word: I will lead this campaign and I will not abandon the field. We will confront every attempt to restrict democratic participation with firmness, organisation and faith in the Nigerian people,” he added.
DSS probes allegation
The Department of State Services has ordered an investigation into allegations by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that the agency was mobilising protesters to disrupt the African Democratic Congress governorship campaign rally in Sokoto State.
Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate, had on Tuesday accused the DSS of recruiting protesters to create a security crisis that could lead to the imposition of a curfew and prevent the party from holding its rally.
However, the secret police, in a statement by its Deputy Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, on Tuesday, said the DG has ordered an investigation into the allegation.
According to the service, operatives had been providing security for political parties across the country.
The service cited an incident on October 31, 2026, when its operatives reportedly rescued the ADC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Mannir Daniya, during an attack.
According to the statement, two DSS operatives were assaulted during the incident and were still receiving treatment in hospital.
It added that Daniya personally contacted the State Director of the DSS in Sokoto to appreciate the operatives and request additional security reinforcement.
The statement read, “The attention of the DG, Department of State Services (DSS), has been drawn to allegation by elder statesman and ADC presidential candidate, Alhaji ATIKU ABUBAKAR, that DSS is organising protests in Sokoto State.
“For the Records, DSS Operatives deployed to Sokoto ADC Governorship Candidate; Mannir DANIYA, evacuated him to safety unhurt on 31st October 2026 when attacked in Sokoto. Two DSS operatives were assaulted during the incident and are still being treated in the hospital. The governorship candidate called personally to appreciate the State Director of Sokoto Command and even requested for reinforcement from the DSS.”
The agency also cited the arrest and prosecution of a man, Monday Udeme Steven, in Rivers State on March 2, 2026, for allegedly threatening to attack the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi.
It said Steven was subsequently prosecuted at a Federal High Court in Rivers State and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
The DSS said the allegations were inconsistent with its operations to protect political parties but maintained that it would investigate the claims.
“Recall also that, on 2nd March 2026, the Service arrested Monday Udeme Steven in Rivers State for threatening to attack Peter OBI, NDC Presidential Candidate. He was prosecuted by the Service in a Rivers Federal High Court and sentenced to two years imprisonment.
“Though these operations to protect all Political Parties is at variance with the elder statesman’s allegation and tend to demoralise our gallant operatives who are risking their lives in the line of duty, the DGDSS has still ordered an investigation into the allegation in deference to the elder statesman.”
The service also recalled a similar allegation by the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, who accused it of involvement in an attack on him in Ekiti State.
It said the police had conducted a preliminary investigation, which attributed the incident to an altercation, leading to the arrest of 11 suspects.
The DSS said it was awaiting the outcome of the police investigation, adding that it would not dissipate energy on the matter.
“The Service will continue to remain accountable under the present DG,” the statement said.
ADC petitions US
The ADC has petitioned the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Muslim World League over alleged political violence, intimidation and restrictions on opposition activities in Sokoto State.
The petition, dated November 3, 2026, was submitted by a civil society organisation, Arewa Transformational Leader, which called for diplomatic intervention over alleged attacks on opposition supporters and the sealing of the party’s campaign office ahead of its presidential campaign flag-off scheduled for Wednesday.
Titled “Urgent Appeal for Diplomatic Intervention over Political Violence and Threats to Democratic Participation in Sokoto State, Nigeria,” the petition was addressed to the US and UK embassies, the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, and the Muslim World League.
The party said the letters had been delivered to and acknowledged by the respective diplomatic missions, while the one addressed to the Muslim World League was sent electronically.
In the petition, the group expressed concern over what it described as a disturbing pattern of political violence, intimidation and restrictions on democratic participation in the state.
The petition read in part, “We write to respectfully seek the urgent attention and diplomatic intervention of the European Union and other relevant international institutions regarding a disturbing pattern of political violence, intimidation, and restrictions on democratic participation in Sokoto State, Nigeria.”
The organisation identified three major incidents, including an alleged attack on women participating in a peaceful ADC solidarity procession on October 28, which reportedly left several participants seriously injured.
It accused one Aliyu KC and his associates of involvement in the attack and called for an independent investigation.
The group also alleged that the convoy of the ADC governorship candidate, Manir Muhammad Dan’Iya, was attacked on October 30 by operatives of the Sokoto Marshal and Sokoto Community Guards.
“Opposition participation cannot depend on a willingness to endure violence,” it said.
The petition urged authorities to establish whether the individuals were subsequently involved in intimidating opposition supporters and whether anyone financed, directed or protected their activities.
The organisation also referred to unverified reports that some APC stakeholders had mobilised political thugs to disrupt ADC activities and allegedly procured motorcycles for their operations.
While acknowledging that the allegations had not been independently verified, it called for immediate investigations and preventive security measures ahead of the campaign.
The group specifically placed Governor Aliyu, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, the Sokoto State Government and APC stakeholders on notice over the alleged incidents.
“We urge the international community to hold them politically accountable for further violence connected to their supporters or proxies, and for failures to address threats within their respective powers,” the petition stated.
It also expressed concern over the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advisory against travelling to Sokoto State, warning that politically protected violence could worsen insecurity and undermine democratic institutions.
Among its demands, the group called on international partners to engage the Sokoto State Government and federal authorities to guarantee peaceful political participation and provide impartial security protection for ADC supporters, journalists, residents and property.
It also requested visa restrictions and other applicable sanctions against individuals established through credible evidence to be perpetrators or sponsors of political violence.
Other demands included independent investigations into the alleged attacks, the circumstances surrounding the release of Aliyu KC and his associates, and reports of the mobilisation and procurement of motorcycles for political thuggery.
ADC Youth Leader
The National Youth Leader of the ADC, Balarabe Rufai, has said the party is determined to mobilise Nigerians, particularly young people, to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC in the 2027 general elections.
Rufai made the declaration ahead of the party’s campaign flag-off scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, in Sokoto State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday following his arrival in Sokoto, he said the party’s delegation had received an enthusiastic welcome from supporters.
According to him, the reception was led by the ADC North-West Zonal Youth Leader, Sabiu Yusuf, and the Sokoto State Youth Leader, Yakubu Musa.
“What we witnessed was more than a welcome. It was a clear declaration that no amount of intimidation can silence a generation determined to reclaim its future,” he said.
The ADC youth leader said the party was not coming to Sokoto to beg for political space but to organise and mobilise supporters ahead of the 2027 elections.