• Kaduna ADC Disowns Statement on El-Rufai’s ‘Inauguration’ • Concerned Members Warn of Party Collapse, Urge National Intervention By Muh...
• Kaduna ADC Disowns Statement on El-Rufai’s ‘Inauguration’
• Concerned Members Warn of Party Collapse, Urge National Intervention
By Muhammad A. Abubakar
Scores of members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) were injured on Saturday when hoodlums attacked a coalition transition meeting convened in Kaduna under the leadership of former governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The meeting, held at the NUT Endwell Conference Hall in Mogadishu Layout, was reportedly aimed at advancing political coalition efforts ahead of future elections. However, it ended in chaos when suspected political thugs stormed the venue.
Viral videos and photographs circulating online show multiple injured attendees and several vehicles with shattered windshields.
Efforts to reach Mr. El-Rufai for comments were unsuccessful, as his mobile line remained switched off at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command confirmed it was not notified of the meeting. In a statement, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed that the organisers proceeded with the gathering despite repeated warnings.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the meeting led to a clash in which thugs and political gangsters allegedly linked to the former governor fired gunshots, causing panic and public disorder,” DSP Hassan said.
He added that the command had launched a full-scale investigation and vowed that no one found culpable would be spared, regardless of their status.
“The Kaduna State Police Command wishes to state categorically that the investigation is ongoing. Anyone found to have acted contrary to the law, no matter how highly placed, will face the full weight of the law,” he added.
Kaduna ADC Disowns Statement on El-Rufai’s Inauguration
In a related development, the Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dissociated itself from a recent statement made by its Publicity Secretary, which suggested the formal inauguration of former Governor El-Rufai under the ADC banner.
In a press release signed by the State Secretary, Victor Oluwatuyi, the party clarified that the statement did not reflect the position of the State Working Committee or the State Executive Committee.
Oluwatuyi described the alleged inauguration as “fraudulent” and emphasised that the ADC leadership in Kaduna neither discussed nor authorised such a move. He noted that he and the State Organising Secretary were present at the event, with the State Chairman also indicating interest in attending — a move he said should not be interpreted as official endorsement.
“The general public is advised to disregard the earlier publication. The ADC leadership in Kaduna remains committed to unity within the coalition and focused on the growth of the party and the development of Kaduna State,” the statement read.
Concerned Members Call for Urgent Intervention to Save ADC in Kaduna
Amid the controversy, a group of concerned ADC members has called for immediate intervention from the party’s national leadership, warning that internal disunity threatens the party’s future in Kaduna.
Addressing journalists in Kaduna, the group’s leader, Adamu Ahmed Dattijo, alleged that former Governor El-Rufai has been running a “one-man show,” undermining the elected leadership of the party in the state.
“Certain individuals are weakening the party at a time when unity is critical. El-Rufai has sidelined the duly elected state executive committee and key stakeholders, making unilateral decisions without consultation,” Dattijo said.
He described such actions as “not only disrespectful but also destructive,” stressing that “a political party thrives on inclusion, consultation, and respect for its structures — not on the whims of one individual.”
The group urged the national leadership of the ADC to urgently intervene to prevent what they described as the total collapse of the party in Kaduna ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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