2027: Stop Deceiving Nigerians With Lies, APC Youth Vanguard Tells ADC

The APC Youth Vanguard has condemned what it described as a misleading attempt by Dahiru Maishanu, a member of the media team of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential campaign, to portray the Sokoto State Government as an obstacle to the party’s political activities.

Maishanu had alleged that the state government directed public and privately-owned hotels to deny accommodation to guests in a bid to frustrate the ADC’s planned presidential campaign flag-off in Sokoto, including claims that some guests who had already paid for their rooms were evicted.

In a statement signed by its Secretary, Abdurrasheed Yaqub, the APC Youth Vanguard described the allegation as politically motivated, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the incident must be properly examined before accusing the state government of interfering with opposition activities.

The group said it was unfortunate that an allegation of such magnitude could be circulated without considering the wider context, particularly the major traditional ceremony scheduled to take place in Sokoto on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

It noted that several traditional titleholders appointed by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, are expected to be turbaned during the ceremony, which is likely to attract traditional rulers, prominent personalities, family members, associates and well-wishers from different parts of the country.

According to the group, some of the titleholders are from outside Sokoto State, making it reasonable to expect an influx of visitors who would require hotel accommodation before and during the ceremony.

The group argued that the increased demand for hotel rooms could therefore be connected to the forthcoming traditional event, stressing that hotel bookings should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a political conspiracy against the ADC.

“How can a state government known for prudence and transparency in the management of public resources deliberately spend taxpayers’ money on hotel accommodation simply to frustrate an opposition political party? Such a claim requires credible evidence, not political insinuations,” the statement said.

The APC Youth Vanguard further questioned why the ADC’s allegation appeared to disregard the political activities of other opposition figures and the party’s own record of organising events in Sokoto without obstruction.

The group recalled that the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and their supporters from different parts of the country were recently in Sokoto for several days to participate in political activities.

It asked whether the visiting politicians and their supporters were compelled to stay in classrooms or denied access to normal accommodation during their visit.

“Peter Obi, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and their supporters from different parts of the country were in Sokoto for several days recently for political activities.

“Did they sleep in classrooms because they could not access hotels? Were they prevented from coming to Sokoto or conducting their political engagements?

“These are important questions that should be answered before anyone attempts to portray the state as hostile to opposition activities,” the group said.

It added that ADC supporters in Sokoto had also been holding political meetings, rallies and other activities in public places without being stopped by the state government.

According to the group, these examples raise questions about the attempt to present Sokoto as a state where opposition parties are prevented from exercising their political rights.

“If Governor Ahmed Aliyu and the APC-led government were determined to frustrate opposition activities, how have ADC supporters continued to organise their meetings and rallies in public places across the state? The reality is that political activities have been taking place, and the opposition should not ignore this context when making allegations against the government,” the statement added.

The APC Youth Vanguard maintained that Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration had no reason to resort to such alleged tactics, insisting that political competition should be determined by ideas, policies, programmes and the confidence of the electorate rather than manufactured controversies.

The group also observed that the reported rescheduling of the ADC’s presidential campaign flag-off should be considered in assessing the circumstances surrounding the allegation.

It, however, acknowledged that the rescheduling alone does not establish the reason for the change, stressing that the party’s decision should not automatically be attributed to government interference without credible supporting evidence.

The group further questioned the logic of suggesting that the state government would divert public resources to frustrate a political event when such funds are expected to support infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and other essential services.

It called on political actors to exercise restraint and avoid making allegations capable of unnecessarily heightening political tension, particularly when alternative explanations exist.

The group also urged media organisations to uphold the principles of verification, fairness and balanced reporting by examining allegations from all relevant angles before presenting them to the public as established facts.

It stressed that Sokoto belongs to all Nigerians and remains open to political campaigns, traditional ceremonies, religious gatherings, business engagements and other legitimate activities.

“The right of the ADC to organise its political activities is not in dispute. Equally, the right of visitors to attend traditional ceremonies and other legitimate events in Sokoto must be respected. Neither should be used as an excuse to promote an unsubstantiated narrative against the state government,” the statement said.

The APC Youth Vanguard urged the ADC to focus on presenting its political agenda and engaging the electorate on issues of development rather than making allegations that could create unnecessary suspicion and hostility.

It concluded by calling on Nigerians to scrutinise politically sensitive claims, insisting that allegations against any government should be supported by verifiable facts rather than speculation.

“Stop the misinformation. Stop the distortion of events. Stop turning every development into a political conspiracy. Sokoto deserves responsible political engagement, and Nigerians deserve facts, fairness and transparency,” the statement added.