The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has strongly denounced an alleged assault on its Sokoto State governorship flagbearer, Alhaji Munir Dan Iya. According to the party, the incident was perpetrated by personnel of the state-owned security agency, the Sokoto Marshals, along Airport Road as the candidate returned from receiving former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
In a media briefing released on Saturday by Kola Ologbondiyan, the campaign organization disclosed that multiple vehicles within the politician's motorcade suffered severe damage during the confrontation. The council further claimed that operatives from the same security outfit subsequently occupied major entry points into the Sokoto metropolis, intercepting automobiles displaying party emblems and intimidating motorists.
What led to the confrontation along Airport Road?
The altercation erupted when the governorship aspirant was driving back into the city center after meeting the Senator representing Sokoto South at the airport. Ologbondiyan alleged that two personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS) assigned to protect the candidate were abducted by the marshals during the operation, while Dan Iya's personal utility vehicle was heavily vandalized.
Expressing deep concern over the development, the party described the incident as an unacceptable display of state-backed aggression and political victimization. The campaign council maintained that utilizing a publicly funded security apparatus to suppress opposition figures undermines democratic values and violates citizens' constitutional rights to freedom of movement and political association.
What are the demands of the ADC leadership?
The opposition platform has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Inspector- General of Police and the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police to investigate the infraction, secure the immediate release of the detained security agents, and prosecute the culprits. The party warned that failure to take decisive measures would compel its leadership to explore lawful avenues to safeguard its members and defend Nigeria's democratic tenets.