By Peter Omopo
The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Sokoto State deepened on Sunday as members of the state executive committee rejected claims by Bello Isiyaku to the party’s chairmanship.
Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) press centre in Sokoto, the ADC State Secretary, Yusuf Abdulkadir Alkali, said Isiyaku had been suspended ahead of the 2023 general elections over allegations of anti-party activities and divisive conduct, and therefore could not lay claim to the office.
Alkali explained that the ADC’s national leadership, led by Ralph Nwosu, had ratified the appointment of Umar Muhammad Faruk as the authentic state chairman during the party’s 2022 national convention in Zaria. He disclosed that at a recent meeting of the state executive, 18 out of 25 members voted in support of Faruk, reaffirming him as the recognised leader of the Sokoto chapter.
“The state exco has unanimously resolved to reject Bello Isiyaku’s leadership claim and reaffirm our loyalty and support to Hon. Umar Muhammad Faruk,” Alkali said. He further accused some party elders of attempting to reinstate Isiyaku through the back door, describing the move as a violation of the party’s constitution.
The development underscores the lingering factional battle for control of the party in Sokoto, where loyalty remains split between opposing camps. The crisis mirrors similar disputes in other state chapters, including Kebbi, where top party officials were recently suspended over allegations of misconduct and financial mismanagement.
