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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has fixed November 4 for its presidential campaign kick-off in Sokoto State, vowing to proceed despite alleged attacks on its members, threats to hotel operators and attempts to frustrate the opposition party’s activities.
The party said its decision to retain Sokoto as the venue demonstrated its determination to exercise its constitutional rights and resist what it described as growing political intimidation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Director-General of the ADC governorship campaign in Sokoto State, Bello Goronyo, disclosed the new date while addressing journalists at the party’s secretariat in Sokoto on Sunday.
Goronyo alleged that the state government opposed the party’s initial plan to hold the presidential campaign flag-off on October 31 and subsequently pressured hotel operators to cancel reservations made for delegates and supporters.
He claimed that some government-owned hotels declined to accommodate the party’s guests, while private hotel operators were allegedly threatened with demolition 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 an attempt to restrict opposition activities and undermine political pluralism in the state.
He also accused government-linked security outfits of involvement in attacks on ADC members, including an incident involving the party’s governorship candidate, Manir Dan’iya, at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport on October 30.
According to him, the candidate’s vehicles were smashed and gunshots reportedly fired during the incident, while two Department of State Services personnel attached to his security detail were detained.
Goronyo called on the police and the DSS to investigate the incident and identify those responsible.
He further alleged that ADC women supporters were attacked during a solidarity march on October 28, leaving some injured, with mobile phones stolen and vehicles damaged.
The party’s state campaign office was also reportedly attacked on the same day, with windows, doors and other property damaged, while three motorcycles were destroyed.
The ADC additionally alleged that personnel of the Sokoto Marshals and Sokoto Community Guards had been instructed to prevent 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 involvement of state security personnel.
However, the Sokoto State Government had earlier denied allegations that it directed hotels to reject ADC delegates.
The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress also maintained that hotel reservations were made to accommodate dignitaries expected at a traditional title ceremony.
A chieftain of the ADC, Timothy Osadolor, had earlier confirmed that the party would retain Sokoto as the venue for its presidential campaign kick-off despite postponing the event initially scheduled for October 31.
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, Osadolor said the postponement was a strategic decision to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
“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 said.
Osadolor blamed the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government and the Sokoto State Government for the circumstances surrounding the postponement, accusing them of attempting to frustrate the opposition party.
He questioned why the state government would allegedly schedule activities capable of undermining the ADC rally on the same day the party had advertised its campaign flag-off.
“When a government knows that its time is off, like a dying horse, it starts struggling,” he said.
He explained that the choice of Sokoto was deliberate because of the state’s political significance and the party’s desire to demonstrate its strength 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 expressed confidence that the ADC would secure widespread support in the region, claiming that Nigerians were ready to elect its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in 2027.
He described Atiku as a potential liberator, referencing public discontent over the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Efforts to obtain the official position of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council on the new date were unsuccessful.
Its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, promised to check and respond when contacted by The PUNCH but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
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