Sokoto ADC kicks against imposed leadership

The Sokoto State chapter of the African Democratic Congress has escalated its internal dispute, rejecting the appointment of Abdullahi Maigwandu and Aliyu Rabah as Chairman and Secretary of the party’s Membership, Mobilisation, Revitalisation and Registration Committee in Sokoto State, and warning that it may head to court if the decision is not reversed.

Addressing journalists on Monday at the ADC State Secretariat, Chairman Umar Faruk said the appointments were “imposed from outside the state” and made without consultation with the recognised state executive, describing the move as a direct threat to party cohesion.

“This decision is unacceptable to us. It violates the ADC constitution and undermines internal democracy. You cannot build a party by sidelining those who laboured to establish its structure in Sokoto,” Faruk said.

The MMRR committee is a strategic organ of the ADC, tasked with driving grassroots mobilisation, registering new members, and revitalising party structures ahead of future elections.

In recent weeks, the ADC in Sokoto has witnessed rising tension following leadership disputes and the defection of some politicians from rival parties into the ADC.

Faruk said the controversy deepened when Maigwandu, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, was named MMRR chairman barely a day after resigning from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), while Rabah also defected from the PDP shortly before his appointment.

“These individuals are not properly registered members of the ADC in Sokoto State. There was no engagement with the state leadership, no stakeholders’ meeting and no transparent process,” he added.

Warning the party’s national leadership against actions capable of plunging the ADC into crisis in the state, Faruk said the Sokoto chapter would resist what it described as attempts to hijack the party’s structure.

“We will not fold our arms and watch our party be taken over through the back door. All legal options are on the table to protect the integrity of the ADC in Sokoto,” he declared.

He also cautioned members of the public against collecting membership cards not issued by the legitimate state leadership, noting that such cards could be invalidated.

Deepening factional dispute

State Secretary Yusuf Alkali said the party had concluded arrangements to approach the court over the continued claim to leadership by former chairman Bello Ishyaku Keegan, insisting that the issue must be settled legally to avoid further confusion.

“We want clarity and order in the party. The courts will determine the rightful leadership so that the ADC can move forward in Sokoto,” Alkali said.

While reaffirming that the ADC remains open to welcoming new members, the state leadership stressed that due process, proper registration, and wide consultation must guide all appointments and political engagements.

“Our doors are open to everyone, but there must be rules. If we abandon due process today, we destroy the party tomorrow,” Faruk warned.