The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has withheld the venue of its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto State ahead of Wednesday’s scheduled event, citing security concerns and alleged attempts to disrupt the gathering.
The party said it had taken precautionary measures following reports of a possible plot to frustrate the rally scheduled for November 4, adding that it would disclose the location after obtaining clearance from its national leadership.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in Sokoto State following the sealing of the party’s state secretariat by the state government, alleged attacks on its supporters and accusations of political interference by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Spokesman for the ADC Presidential Campaign Committee, Dahiru Maishanu, disclosed this in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, saying the party had secured a venue but was awaiting authorisation from its national headquarters before making the location public.
“We have secured a place for the campaign rally, but due to one or two reasons, I may not be able to disclose that for now. If time permits and I get clearance from the national headquarters, you will be briefed,” Maishanu said.
He said the party had contacted the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) over reports of a possible plot to disrupt the rally, adding that both security agencies had assured it of adequate protection.
Maishanu also disclosed that some party members had arrived in Sokoto ahead of the event despite what he described as restrictions on accommodation for the party’s guests by the state government.
“Some of our members are in town already and have secured accommodation anyway,” he said.
On the sealing of the party’s state secretariat, the spokesman said its leaders had visited the state police command, where they were reportedly informed that the police had no knowledge of the closure.
He added that the police maintained that no quasi-security agency could independently seal a property without police involvement or a court order.
“They assured us that our office is still there for us, so there is no cause for alarm,” he added.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed that the command was aware of the planned rally and had received an official request from the organisers for security coverage.
Rufai said the Commissioner of Police had directed the command to provide adequate security for the event.
“We are ready to provide maximum security for them tomorrow. They wrote to us from the first day they chose, and they even wrote to us when it was postponed.
“We are fully aware of it tomorrow, and the CP has directed the command to do the needful,” he said.
The police spokesman described political campaigns as a constitutional right, stressing that the command would not prevent any political party from exercising that right.
“Campaign rally is a constitutional right, and we cannot deny anybody that, so there is no cause for alarm,” he stated.
However, Rufai disclosed that the command had yet to receive information about the rally venue, assuring that appropriate security arrangements would be made once the necessary details were available.
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