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Atiku alleges plot to disrupt ADC rally in Sokoto
Former Vice-President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that there is a plot to mobilise protesters to disrupt the party’s campaign rally in Sokoto State.
Atiku alleged that the planned protests were part of an attempt to create disorder, provide grounds for the state government to impose a curfew and prevent the ADC from holding its campaign as scheduled.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku also accused the Sokoto State Government of frustrating the party’s preparations by blocking access to public facilities and withholding logistical support required for its campaign activities.
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He described the alleged actions as deliberate attempts to deny the ADC a level playing field ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“More disturbing still, the information available to us is that the leadership of the Department of State Services is recruiting people to stage protests in Sokoto,” he said.
Atiku alleged that some of the protesters were assembled at an office behind Zenith Bank on Koko Road, from where trucks were allegedly dispatched to strategic locations, including a roundabout.
He claimed that the protesters were causing traffic congestion, threatening commuters and beating some residents.
“This is not intelligence work. It is political interference dressed in official uniform,” the former vice president said.
He called on security personnel allegedly involved in the mobilisation to stop, insisting that security agencies should protect Nigerians and uphold the law rather than engage in partisan activities.
Atiku also accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of weakening opposition parties and narrowing the space for political competition through what he described as a politics of absorption and intimidation.
He alleged that the government was working towards making Nigeria a one-party state by drawing opposition figures into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The ADC presidential candidate said the government should focus on addressing the rising cost of living rather than obstructing opposition campaigns.
He listed the high costs of food, transportation, fuel and electricity among the challenges facing Nigerians, adding that many families were struggling to meet their basic needs.
Atiku promised that an ADC-led government would support local production, strengthen food production, create jobs and reduce the cost of doing business.
He also proposed a targeted production subsidy tied to fuel refined in Nigeria, saying the policy would provide measurable relief to consumers while strengthening domestic industries.
The former vice president accused the APC of resorting to intimidation following what he described as the party’s poor performance at its recent rally in Kaduna.
He stated that the alleged attempts to frustrate the ADC would not stop its campaign.
“The ADC will resist every gimmick, administrative roadblock and underhand manoeuvre designed to exclude the opposition or impose a one-party reality on Nigeria,” he said.
Atiku confirmed that he would travel to Sokoto on Wednesday to address supporters, urging residents to remain peaceful and avoid actions that could trigger a security crisis.
He also called on security agencies to protect commuters, residents and rally participants without favouritism and ensure that the campaign proceeded without interference.
The ADC candidate warned that officers who colluded in suppressing political freedom would be held accountable under the law, while pledging support for security personnel who refused to be used against democracy.
“The 2027 general election will be a defining moment in our democratic history. This is more than a contest between parties or candidates. It is a choice between a government that has shown indifference to people’s suffering and Nigerians who have endured enough and want their votes to count,” he said.