The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a harsh warning that political thuggery ahead of the 2027 general elections could unleash an uncontrollable cycle of violence, following a bloody disruption of its official campaign launch in Kaduna State.
The incident occurred during a rally organized by the Arise & Shine Isa Ashiru Support Group to celebrate the kickoff of the party’s governorship and State House of Assembly campaigns in Kaduna town.
Party officials revealed that operatives associated with the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVIS) violently disrupted the gathering. Multiple attendees were assaulted, personal valuables and phones were stolen, and two female party members sustained severe injuries requiring immediate hospital care.
In a joint press release issued in Abuja on Thursday, September 10, 2026, ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi alongside Abdulwaheed Adubi, spokesperson for ADC Governorship Candidate Hon. Isa Ashiru, strongly denounced the escalation.
”Let nobody mistake our commitment to peaceful democratic participation for weakness. No political party has a monopoly on non-state sanctioned violence,” Abdullahi warned. “Once violence becomes an accepted instrument of political competition, nobody can predict where it ends.”
Confirming that organizers had secured all required law enforcement permits prior to the event, Ashiru criticized state-backed security actors for abandoning political neutrality. “Political competition is not a war. We may belong to different parties, but we remain citizens of the same state,” Ashiru noted.
Security agencies must immediately identify, arrest, and prosecute both the physical attackers and their high-level political sponsors.
The Kaduna State Government must guarantee safety and a level playing field for opposition parties without harassment from state-supported outfits like KADVIS.
The ADC declared that threats would not force it off the political field and pledged to continue voter mobilization across all local government areas in Northern Nigeria.
The opposition party emphasised that the 2027 election must be decided through ideas at the ballot box, warning that early political intimidation will not deter voters from demanding democratic change.
