The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has moved the commencement of its presidential campaign in Sokoto State to Wednesday, November 4, following allegations of threats, attacks on party members and attempts by the state government to disrupt the event.
The party said its decision to go ahead with the campaign reflected its resolve to exercise its constitutional rights despite what it described as increasing political intimidation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The ADC Director-General of the governorship campaign in Sokoto State, Bello Goronyo, announced the new date while speaking with journalists at the party’s secretariat in Sokoto on Sunday.
Goronyo alleged that the state government opposed the party’s initial plan to launch its presidential campaign on October 31, 2026, and subsequently pressured hotel owners to cancel reservations made for delegates and supporters.
He claimed that some government-owned hotels refused to accommodate the party’s guests, while private hotel operators were allegedly threatened with the demolition of their facilities if they failed to withdraw their bookings.
“We have received reports that hotel operators were threatened with consequences, including the demolition of their properties, if they refused to comply,” he said.
The campaign director described the alleged actions as efforts to limit opposition activities and weaken political pluralism in the state.
He further accused security outfits linked to the state government of participating in attacks on ADC members, including an alleged incident involving the party’s governorship candidate, Manir Dan’iya, at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport on October 30.
According to Goronyo, the candidate’s vehicles were vandalised, while gunshots were reportedly fired during the incident. He also alleged that two Department of State Services (DSS) operatives assigned to the candidate’s security team were detained.
He called on the police and DSS to investigate the incident, determine what transpired and bring those responsible to justice.
Goronyo also alleged that ADC female supporters were assaulted during a solidarity march on October 28, leaving some injured, with mobile phones stolen and vehicles damaged.
He added that the party’s state campaign office was attacked on the same day, resulting in damage to windows, doors and other facilities, while three motorcycles were destroyed.
The party further claimed that operatives of the Sokoto Marshals and Sokoto Community Guards had received instructions to stop its supporters from entering the state ahead of the campaign.
“No governor, political party or security commander has the authority to restrict citizens from entering a state because of their political affiliation,” the party said.
Goronyo urged the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the DSS to investigate the alleged attacks, threats against hotel operators and the reported involvement of state security personnel.
He maintained that the party would continue with its political engagements despite the challenges.
However, the Sokoto State Government had earlier dismissed claims that it instructed hotels to turn away ADC delegates.
The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress also explained that the hotel bookings were intended to accommodate dignitaries expected at a traditional title ceremony.
Meanwhile, ADC chieftain Timothy Osadolor had earlier confirmed that the party would maintain Sokoto as the venue for its presidential campaign launch despite postponing the event, which was initially scheduled for Saturday, October 31.
Osadolor explained that the postponement was a strategic decision aimed at preventing a breakdown of law and order, stressing that the party had no plans to move the event to another location.
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, he said, “We had a strategic rethink and rescheduled our presidential campaign flag-off to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.
“We will stick with Sokoto and the onus is on the security agencies to provide security because we have written to notify them of our activities.”
He blamed the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government and the Sokoto State Government for the circumstances surrounding the postponement, accusing them of attempting to obstruct the opposition party’s political activities.
Osadolor questioned why the Sokoto State Government would allegedly organise activities capable of disrupting the ADC’s planned rally on the same day the party had announced its campaign launch.
“When a government knows that its time is off, like a dying horse, it starts struggling,” he said.
He said Sokoto was deliberately selected because of its political importance and the party’s intention to make a strong statement in the North-West ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Why the choice of Sokoto? Sokoto is symbolic. We saw the shame and rejection meted out to the APC in Kaduna,” he added.
Osadolor said the ADC wanted to demonstrate its acceptance across the region, despite what he described as the ruling All Progressives Congress’s rejection by voters.
“We chose to go to the same North West to show to Nigerians that whereas they were rejected in the same geopolitical zone, we will be accepted because they know the liberator, Mr Subsidy Removal is coming in the person of Waziri Atiku Abubakar,” Osadolor said.
He also expressed confidence that Nigerians had made up their minds to elect the ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain an official response from the ADC Presidential Campaign Council regarding the newly announced date were unsuccessful.
The council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, had promised to “check and revert” when contacted by a correspondent.
However, he had yet to provide an update as of the time this report was filed.
