Kaduna ADC accuses El-Rufai of impunity as police ban political gatherings
Stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State have asked the national leadership of the party to call former governor Nasir El-Rufai to order, accusing him of attempting to hijack the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This as the State Police Command has placed a ban on all political gatherings in Kaduna aftermath of violence that erupted during El-Rufai meeting with ADC faithful.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, the leader of the stakeholders drawn from the 23 LGAs, Adamu Ahmed Dattijo, alleged that El-Rufai, Ja’afaru Sani and Bashir Sa’idu were undermining the elected state executive and sidelining grassroots structures in an act of impunity.
Dattijo also alleged that El-Rufai was running a “one-man show,” holding meetings only with loyalists while ignoring the authentic ADC leadership. He described the development as “disrespectful and destructive” to party unity.
He also dismissed what they called a plan by El-Rufai and his allies to inaugurate a coalition transition in the state, warning that the move was illegitimate since it excluded recognised ADC leaders.
“If this continues, we risk going into the 2027 elections as a divided and weakened party and the result will be disastrous”.
Dattijo urged the ADC national leadership to intervene swiftly, stressing that no individual, no matter how highly placed, is bigger than the party.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command has suspended all “unauthorised political gatherings” across the state following the violence that broke out at a meeting of opposition politicians attended by former governor of the state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Saturday.
Spokesman for the command, Mansir Hassan, in a statement, said the action was necessary to forestall further breakdown of law and order after thugs attacked and injured participants at the meeting.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the gathering was convened without notifying security agencies.
Hassan alleged that political thugs attached to the former governor fired gunshots during the clash.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the gathering led to a clash, during which thugs and political gangsters attached to the former governor allegedly fired gunshots, causing chaos and disruption of public order and peace in the state.
“In the interest of peace and public safety, the command further announces that all such unauthorised gatherings are to be suspended until due process and proper security arrangements are ensured,” Hassan added.
The police also disclosed that the ADC leadership had denied knowledge of the said meeting and distanced itself from organisers allegedly linked to El-Rufai.
It was gathered that the violence broke out at the official inauguration of a transition committee set up by opposition parties in the state.
Suspected thugs armed with cutlasses, clubs and stones stormed the venue, attacking participants and vandalising vehicles.
Despite the mayhem, the event continued in a tense atmosphere, with policemen at the scene accused of failing to act.
El-Rufai, who was present, condemned the attack, describing it as a “dangerous descent into lawlessness.”
He accused senior police officers, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), of standing by while the thugs wreaked havoc.
“The police were complicit. The assistant police commissioner was there watching while people were being attacked and vehicles vandalised. He even removed his name tag, which is against police regulations. We will escalate this matter to the highest authorities,” the former governor said.
The Kaduna APC secretary, Alhaji Yahaya Baba-Pate, however, denied sponsoring thugs, insisting the ruling party had no hand in the violence.
The police maintained that investigations were ongoing and vowed to prosecute anyone found culpable, no matter how highly placed.
