ACF denies Atiku Kaduna meeting as ADC alleges clampdown

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has accused President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress of using government authority to frustrate opposition activities ahead of the 2027 general election, following the reported closure of Arewa House in Kaduna.

The council alleged that the Kaduna State Government ordered the closure of the historic facility to prevent its presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, from consulting with Northern stakeholders scheduled to take place there on Thursday.

It also faulted the timing of the release of the certified true copy of the Federal High Court judgment on the ADC leadership dispute, alleging that its release on the final day of the constitutionally stipulated seven-day period had left the party with limited time to study the decision and prepare its next legal steps.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the ADC-PCC said the two developments raised concerns about what it described as a growing pattern of attempts to frustrate opposition activities.

The council said Justice Peter Lifu released the authenticated copy of his judgment on the final day of the seven days prescribed by Section 294(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires courts to furnish parties with copies of their decisions within seven days of delivery.

It, however, said it would study the judgment and pursue all available legal options.

“The ADC will study the judgment and pursue every lawful remedy available. But the timing of the release raises serious concern, especially as our party continues to face actions that obstruct its campaign and political consultations,” the statement said.

On the Kaduna development, the campaign council alleged that the APC-led state government ordered the closure of Arewa House ahead of Atiku’s planned engagement with political, traditional and other stakeholders from Northern Nigeria.

It described the facility as part of the shared heritage of the diverse peoples of Northern Nigeria and condemned its reported closure over what it said was a political consultation.

Atiku was quoted as saying that his campaign team had proposed the historic facility as the venue for Thursday’s meeting before the state government ordered its closure.

“My campaign team had proposed the Arewa House as the venue for our consultation with stakeholders on Thursday and, today, the APC government decided to seal the building,” the former vice-president said.

The campaign council recalled a similar incident during its campaign flag-off in Sokoto State, alleging that the APC-led government had attempted to frustrate the party’s activities.

It maintained that the reported closure of Arewa House was part of a troubling pattern of interference with the opposition’s right to political mobilisation and consultation.

“We hold President Bola Tinubu and the APC politically responsible for this pattern of obstruction. An outgoing president and a ruling party should respect democratic competition, not use public authority to impede the opposition, restrict political consultation or weaken Nigerians’ right to choose,” it stated.

The council vowed not to be intimidated, assuring supporters that the party would continue its consultations, pursue its legal rights and take its message to Nigerians.

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However, the National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Prof. Tukur Mohammed-Baba, said the organisation was unaware of any planned meeting between Atiku and the forum.

Mohammed-Baba, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Kaduna on Wednesday, also clarified that Arewa House was an institution of Ahmadu Bello University and independent of the ACF.

He said, “I am out of Kaduna right now. I have no information on the story under reference. I can only confirm as follows: Arewa House in Kaduna is an outfit of Ahmadu Bello University, independent of the ACF.

“I am not aware of any invitation to any political candidate to a meeting at the ACF.”

The ACF spokesman, however, disclosed that the forum had reported an alleged break-in at its headquarters to security agencies.

According to him, a disengaged staff member allegedly broke into the ACF secretariat about two days earlier, changed the locks and carted away property and official documents.

“About two days ago, a disengaged staff member had allegedly broken into ACF’s head office, changed locks and carted away property, files, etc. After the development, a report was lodged with the security agencies for necessary action,” he added.

The clarification came after the ADC National Campaign Council spokesperson, Dr Dahiru Maishanu, had alleged that security operatives sealed the ACF secretariat to prevent Atiku from meeting Northern elders.

Maishanu accused the Federal Government of using what he described as a Gestapo approach to weaken the opposition.

“Because Atiku is set to meet with the Northern elders tomorrow in Kaduna, security operatives have just now sealed off the Arewa Consultative Forum Secretariat.

“This has confirmed our fears that the Federal Government is using a Gestapo approach in trying to emasculate the opposition, especially the ADC,” he said.

He described the alleged action as executive lawlessness and insisted that the party would continue to exercise its constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and association.