Being “TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE KADUNA STATE GOVERNMENT ON BASELESS ALLEGATIONS BY ADC/SDP COALITION 14 August 2025“.
Our attention have been drawn to a laughable statement jointly issued by the so-called African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its equally confused bedfellow, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), alleging that our government is plotting to sabotage Saturday’s bye-elections in Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, and State Constituencies in Zaria and Sabon-Gari.
1. Ordinarily, we would have ignored this desperate charade, but for the need to set the record straight and expose these false prophets of democracy. Their poorly-attended campaign events in recent weeks have already shown them the handwriting on the wall — that the good people of Kaduna State have decisively rejected them. Now, in the face of imminent defeat, they have resorted to concocted tales of “vote-buying” and “thug recruitment” to pre-emptively discredit an election they know they cannot win.
2. Let it be clear: Kaduna State Government has no hand whatsoever in the conduct of elections. That responsibility belongs exclusively to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is fully capable of defending its processes and integrity without unsolicited “sympathy” from confused political actors looking for relevance Their attempt to drag the name of our government into their self-inflicted political misery is as mischievous as it is defamatory.
3. We are, however, taking this matter seriously. The Kaduna State Government has instructed its legal team to carefully study the litany of baseless accusations levelled against us in the so-called “intelligence” statement, and to advise on the most appropriate legal action to ensure that the purveyors of falsehood are held accountable. We will not sit idly by while political opportunists smear the name of our administration and malign innocent officials with wild, unsubstantiated claims. Great Journalists of Kaduna will recall how the former governor sent thugs to the Secretariat of the NUJ some years ago, leading to injury to many of our colleagues. That is the way they think and act. We are a responsible government. We can not attack the people we have a mandate to lead.
4. As we speak, His Excellency, Governor Uba Sani, is performing the groundbreaking of the construction of Romi – Karatudu Township Roads in Chikun LGA. Communities, the so-called leader and former governor, had abandoned, demolished, and ignored in his 8 years of reign.
5. Gov Uba Sani’s inclusive leadership has continued to unite and develop our state to an enviable position, and sadly, that unsettles the coalition.
6. Finally, we urge the people of Kaduna State to turn out en masse on Saturday to cast their votes peacefully, and disregard the rantings of political jobbers whose only campaign strategy is to cry wolf when there is none. Democracy in Kaduna is alive and thriving — and no amount of theatre from El-Rufai’s political leftovers in ADC will change that. We are confident that if good governance is marked by inclusivity, peaceful coexistence, and developmental projects, APC, under the leadership of Gov Uba Sani, will continue to win elections in the state
Signed:
Ahmed Maiyaki
Honorable Commissioner of Information (Designate), Kaduna State
14 August 2025
Earlier in the day, the Coalition of ADC and SDP in the State had in a joint statement accused the ruling party, APC in a joint statement, of plotting to rig the August 16 by-election through bribery, and mass recruitment of thugs .
Joint Coalition Statement by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Kaduna State Chapter, on the bye-elections in Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency and State Constituencies in Sabon-Gari and Zaria
The African Democratic Congress has observed certain actions that sadly confirm that the APC government of Kaduna State is unelectable and therefore not interested in free and fair elections. As our Coalition prepares for the 16 August 2025 bye-elections, it has become apparent that the APC government’s plan is to sabotage the bye-elections, distort the electoral process and steal the elections that they have no chance of wining in a free and fair contest.
In Kaduna State, the ADC/SDP Coalition has gathered the following:
1. To execute their plot and ensure all the APC candidates are returned as winners, the APC government of Kaduna State has recruited about 4,000 thugs from within and outside the state to intimidate and harass citizens and officials of opposition parties at all polling units and at the Ward, State Constituency and Federal Constituency Collation Centres.
2. The Kaduna state government is engaged in efforts to compromise INEC officials. The inducements being used include allocations of plots of land to senior INEC officials, electoral officers and technical support staff. In furtherance of their election sabotage cause, we have details of the Kaduna State Government officials that have had secret meetings with high-level election personnel and other technical staff deployed from INEC Headquarters.
3. The Kaduna State Government compelled the 23 local governments to contribute N30 million each to its election sabotage fund for the bye-elections in the bye-elections in Chikun/Kajuru/ federal constituency and state constituencies in Zaria and Sabon Gari. Further financial support from Abuja of about N4.8 billion has been provided to facilitate the sabotage of the elections through vote-buying, compromise of electoral officials, and corruption of security agents to encourage breakdown of law and order. A disgraced former senator, notorious for being an architect of electoral violence in the past, has been given responsibility for utilizing the election sabotage funds.
These assaults on election integrity and the fundamental rights of citizens to choose their legislators are being coordinated at the highest levels of the state government, with a serving Commissioner in charge of local government matters, leading the officials deployed for dishonorable operation. The ADC is also aware that the senior officials of Kudan, Soba and Zaria local government councils are recruiting thugs to attack opposition events, and disrupt our campaign plans.
As a law abiding coalition, we are hereby notifying INEC and the security agencies of the unlawful and undemocratic actions, as well as the nefarious plans of the APC government of Kaduna State, and urging that it should be brought to order to avoid unpredictable reactions of our supporters and the general populace.
In making these privileged intelligence public, which we are confident the internal security agencies, the police and INEC may be fully aware of, we are calling on:
• INEC to guarantee the neutrality of its officials and its commitment to respect the will of the voters. Such a statement of commitment to election integrity must include the recusal of compromised personnel from the election process, their immediate recall and replacement with fresh electoral and technical support staff immediately.
• Security agencies not to allow themselves to be complicit in violating the right of citizens to choose their leaders as intended by those who have recruited thugs to disrupt the election through violence. They should do their duty to safeguard the coalition’s right to campaign within INEC’s regulations today, and the safety and security of eligible citizens who wish to vote on Election Day, tomorrow, by the grace of God.
• The Commissioner of Local Government and other officials of the state government that have recruited thugs and other criminals to disrupt the bye-elections must not only be immediately cautioned and investigated, but prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Such miscreants in power must never be allowed to disturb the fragile peace in Kaduna and Zaria metropolis by unleashing terror in any Polling Unit and Collation Centre. The security agencies must be reminded that they must always ensure the arrest and prosecution of any other persons, even if they are members of our Coalition, that engage in violent disruption of the election or intimidation of voters, along with the sponsors of such unlawful actions.
Signed:
Jafaru Ibrahim Sani – ADC National Vice Chairman, North-West
Elder Patrick Ambut, ADC Kaduna State Chairman
Hon Nasiru Maikano, SDP Kaduna State Chairman
14-08-2025
