By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Sokoto State has been thrown into a leadership crisis as the state executive committee rejected Bello Isiyaku’s claim to the chairmanship, reaffirming Hon. Umar Muhammad Faruk as the authentic leader.
Addressing journalists in Sokoto, the state secretary of the ADC, Yusuf Abdul Kadri Alkali, said Isiyaku was suspended before the 2023 general elections over disputes linked to his governorship ambition under the party’s platform.
He noted that Faruk’s chairmanship was ratified by the party’s national leadership, led by Ralph Nwosu, during the ADC national convention held in Zaria in September 2022.
At a recent meeting attended by 25 members of the state executive, 18 voted to reaffirm Faruk as chairman, thereby rendering Isiyaku’s claim invalid. Alkali insisted that efforts to reinstate the suspended leader were unconstitutional and unacceptable.
He further accused some party elders of fueling division within the Sokoto chapter but stressed that the leadership and members remain loyal to Faruk and the party’s national leadership.
According to him, the state executive committee unanimously resolved to reject Isiyaku’s claim and stand firmly by Faruk, citing the party’s constitution and the national leadership’s endorsement.
The crisis underscores deepening internal rifts within the ADC in Sokoto, as rival factions continue to jostle for control.
