- State government has recruited thugs, contributed billions of naira to rig the election – ADC
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Ahead of tomorrow by-elections into federal and State constituencies of Kaduna State, one of the opposition parties, African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition has accused the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State of allegedly recruiting thugs and receiving billions of naira in and outside the State to rig the elections.
The by-elections are scheduled for Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency, Zaria/Kewaye federal constituency and Basawa State Assembly constituency of the Kaduna State.
However, ADC allegations have led to war of words between it and the State government and the APC in the State, with the Commissioner of Information,
Ahmed Maiyaki, saying that the allegations are baseless and laughable.
In the same vein, the APC State Secretary, Yahaya Baba Pate said the party is law abiding, worked hard and campaigned enough to deserve victory at the elections, adding that APC will definitely triumph.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the ADC National Vice Chairman, North-West, Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, ADC Kaduna State Chairman, Elder Patrick Ambut, SDP Kaduna State chairman, Hon Nasiru Maikano, along with the formerly governor of the State, Nasiru El-rufai said APC is not interested in fair and free election because it is unelectable.
According to Sani, “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 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.
“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.
“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.
“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”.
Also, addressing the press in reaction to ADC, the State Commissioner of Information said, “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.
“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.
“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”.
The State Secretary of APC reacted too, saying, “the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna State and the country as a whole is a law abiding party. We don’t engage in any illegality before, during and after election. In Kaduna State we are confidence, come August 16, 2025 that APC will be crowned with victory at the Kajuru/Chikun federal constituency by-election, Zaria/Kewaye federal constituency and Basawa State Assembly constituency.
“We are confidence because of the way and manner our governor, Senator Uba Sani is delivering dividends of democracy to the generality of the citizens of Kaduna State that cut across religion and ethnic backgrounds. So we don’t have any ulterior motive. We are set for the election. At the moment our governor is rounding up is busy and rounding up the campaign today being Thursday in Chikun where the governor is busy conversing for votes. We are serious minded political party. We are going about soliciting for votes in all the three constituencies”.
