Former Vice-President insists campaign will proceed; ADC keeps rally venue secret over security fears as DSS says two operatives were injured protecting party’s governorship candidate.
The political atmosphere in Sokoto State has become increasingly charged as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flags off its presidential campaign on Wednesday, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar vowing to attend despite allegations of intimidation, political interference and a plot to disrupt the gathering.
The unfolding controversy has triggered a war of words between Atiku and the Department of State Services (DSS), with the opposition presidential candidate accusing the security agency and the Sokoto State Government of attempting to frustrate the party’s political activities, while the DSS has rejected the allegations and ordered an investigation.
In the latest development, the ADC has reportedly kept the location of its campaign rally under wraps, citing security concerns and fears of possible disruption. The party’s Presidential Campaign Committee spokesman, Dahiru Maishanu, confirmed that a venue had been secured but said its location would not be made public until clearance was obtained from the party’s national leadership.
The development comes amid mounting tension following the reported sealing of the ADC’s state office, allegations of attacks on party supporters and disagreements over access to public facilities and accommodation for visiting delegates.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku accused the Sokoto State Government and security agencies of allegedly working together to frustrate the ADC’s campaign activities.
He claimed that protesters had been mobilised to create confusion, public facilities had been denied to the opposition party, and logistical arrangements had been deliberately undermined to prevent the successful conduct of the rally.
The former Vice-President specifically accused the DSS of allegedly recruiting protesters to provoke violence, create disorder and provide justification for imposing a curfew that could prevent the ADC from holding its campaign.
Atiku further alleged that some of the protesters were assembled at an office behind Zenith Bank on Koko Road, with trucks allegedly deployed to strategic locations, including a roundabout.
According to him, the situation had already resulted in traffic disruption, intimidation of commuters and reported physical assaults.
Describing the alleged development as political interference, Atiku insisted that security agencies should remain neutral and protect citizens regardless of their political affiliations.
He said the ADC would not surrender its constitutional rights to what he described as intimidation and calculated attempts to silence opposition voices.
“Our campaign will proceed, and I will be in Sokoto tomorrow, God willing, to address the good people of the state,” he declared.
Atiku also appealed to residents and ADC supporters to remain peaceful, urging security agencies to protect commuters, residents and campaign participants without political favouritism.
DSS fires back, reveals injured operatives
However, the DSS has strongly disputed Atiku’s allegations, offering a different account of its recent security operations involving the ADC in Sokoto.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, the service expressed surprise that Atiku would accuse it of organising protests against the ADC despite what it described as its recent efforts to protect the party’s governorship candidate, Mannir Daniya.
The agency disclosed that its operatives rescued Daniya during a mob attack in Sokoto on October 31, 2026.
According to the DSS, two of its officers sustained injuries during the incident and were subsequently hospitalised, where they were still receiving medical attention as of the time of its statement.
The service further claimed that Daniya personally contacted the State Director of the DSS after the incident to express appreciation for the intervention and request additional security reinforcement.
The agency described Atiku’s allegation as inconsistent with its stated responsibility of providing security protection to political actors across party lines.
Nevertheless, the DSS Director-General ordered an investigation into the allegation, saying the decision was taken out of respect for the former Vice-President.
The development has introduced another dimension to the political disagreement, as the security agency maintains that its operatives have been working to protect political stakeholders rather than undermine the ADC’s activities.
Meanwhile, the ADC has adopted a cautious approach to Wednesday’s campaign flag-off, declining to publicly announce the venue of the event.
Maishanu said the party had secured a location but was awaiting authorisation from its national headquarters before disclosing further details.
He also confirmed that the party had approached the police and the DSS over concerns about possible attempts to disrupt the gathering, adding that both agencies had assured the organisers of adequate security.
The Sokoto State Police Command has separately confirmed receiving an official request from the ADC for security coverage.
Its spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the Commissioner of Police had directed the command to make adequate security arrangements, stressing that political campaigns are a constitutional right and that no political party would be denied the opportunity to exercise that right.
However, the police spokesperson indicated that the command had yet to receive information about the precise venue of the rally.
The ADC’s decision to keep the location confidential reflects the growing uncertainty surrounding the event, even as its national leadership insists that the campaign will proceed as scheduled.
Controversy over sealed party office
The political tension has also been fuelled by the Sokoto State Government’s decision to seal an ADC office.
While the opposition party has described the action as an attempt to obstruct its political activities, the state government has defended the decision, insisting that it was connected to a dispute over the ownership of the property.
The state’s Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Nasiru Aliyu Dantsoho, reportedly explained that the building’s Certificate of Occupancy remained registered in the name of the defunct Savannah Bank.
He said the government had approached the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) for clarification regarding the property’s ownership.
The commissioner also linked the government’s intervention to a reported confrontation between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and the ADC at the premises, alongside security concerns over possible further violence.
The ADC, however, maintains that the controversy should not be used to restrict its legitimate political activities.
Beyond the immediate disagreement between Atiku and the DSS, the unfolding events in Sokoto have raised questions about political tolerance, security neutrality and the protection of opposition parties as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
Atiku has repeatedly criticised the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, accusing it of pursuing policies that could weaken opposition parties and gradually push the country towards a one-party political arrangement.
He also used Tuesday’s press conference to condemn the rising cost of food, transportation, fuel and electricity, arguing that Nigerians were facing worsening economic difficulties.
The former Vice-President promised that an ADC-led administration would prioritise local production, food security, employment generation and a reduction in the cost of doing business. He also proposed targeted production subsidies linked to locally refined fuel as part of efforts to ease economic pressure.
For the ADC, Wednesday’s Sokoto campaign flag-off represents more than another political gathering. It is an opportunity to demonstrate organisational strength, consolidate its presence in the North-West and send a message about its readiness to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.
With Atiku insisting on attending, the DSS ordering an investigation, the police promising security protection and the ADC keeping its venue confidential, attention is now firmly on Sokoto.
Whether the rally proceeds without incident, the immediate responsibility rests on all political actors and security institutions to ensure that democratic competition does not degenerate into violence, intimidation or a threat to the safety of ordinary citizens.
For now, Atiku’s message is one of defiance, the DSS’s response is one of denial and investigation, and the ADC appears determined not to allow the mounting controversy to derail its campaign.