The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially announced the venue for the flag-off of its presidential campaign in Sokoto State.
The opposition party had previously concealed the location following armed attacks on its governorship candidate and the sealing of its state secretariat.
Senator Ibrahim Lamido, the Presidential Campaign Coordinator in the state, confirmed that the inaugural rally will be held on Wednesday at the ADC secretariat located along Ilorin Road.
He revealed that the party’s standard-bearer, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, is scheduled to arrive at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport at 9:00 am.
In a formal statement, Lamido urged party executives across all 23 local government areas, mobilisation coordinators, and youth organisations to activate their grassroots structures. He invited supporters to receive the former Vice-President at the airport before proceeding to the campaign ground.
The opposition party had initially withheld the venue details following a series of security threats and administrative hurdles. On Friday night, gunmen opened fire on the convoy of the ADC governorship candidate, Honourable Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, near the airport but he escaped the assault unhurt.
Exactly three days after the violent encounter, authorities sealed off a major campaign office belonging to the ADC in the state capital. Party officials accused the Sokoto State Government of deliberately denying them access to a suitable public facility for the political exercise.
The political tensions escalated on Tuesday night when Atiku alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) were plotting to scuttle the rally.
Both the ruling party and the secret police have rejected the accusations. The APC distanced itself from the attack on the governorship candidate, while the DSS dismissed claims of political interference as completely unfounded.
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