Dr. Muhammad Kabir
The present crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kano State should not be treated as an ordinary disagreement among party leaders, nor should it be reduced solely to the controversy over the governorship primary election.
The governorship primary became the immediate flashpoint, but the roots of the problem appear to run considerably deeper. The crisis reflects accumulated concerns about the handling of the coalition and new political realignments; questions of inclusion and accommodation; competing leadership centres; inadequate consultation; poor communication; procedural weaknesses in conducting the governorship primary; and, subsequently, declining confidence among key stakeholders.
Kano is too politically important to the ADC’s national aspirations for these differences to degenerate into permanent factions. The overriding objective should therefore be not to determine who has politically defeated whom, but to establish a settlement under which every tendency can remain within a single competitive ADC family.
Guiding principle: Justice where required; accommodation where possible; reconciliation where relationships have broken down; and unity around the greater objective of winning elections and providing credible leadership to the people of Kano State.
THE REMOTE CAUSES OF THE CRISIS
The Manner in Which the Coalition Process Began One fundamental problem appears to have stemmed from the way the coalition and the political realignment into the ADC were managed at the outset.
Rather than treating the emergence of new political forces as an opportunity to expand the existing leadership structure, accommodate both old and new members, and collectively build a larger political family, some quarters perceived one political bloc as replacing another, particularly by pushing aside almost all of the existing EXCO members and appointing the ‘new arrivals’ to positions previously held by their members.
This created apprehension among existing stakeholders. Coalition-building requires integration, not displacement.When members who sustained the party before the arrival of new political actors begin to believe that their structures, positions, or contributions are being ignored, resistance naturally develops. Similarly, newcomers with substantial political strength will expect meaningful participation rather than symbolic accommodation.
Failure to reconcile these expectations sufficiently laid the foundation for later disagreements.
Inadequate Integration of Old and New Political Forces ADC Kano increasingly became a convergence point for politicians from diverse political backgrounds, loyalties, aspirations and networks.
That development was potentially a major political advantage. However, bringing people together under one party name is not the same as integrating them politically.
Effective integration requires agreed leadership arrangements, clearly defined responsibilities, consultation mechanisms, respect for existing structures, accommodation of emerging political strength, transparent rules for nominations and primaries, and confidence that no group intends to monopolize the party.
Where such mechanisms are weak, coalition partners begin to operate as separate political camps within the same political party. This appears to have contributed significantly to the present situation.
Emergence of Competing Centres of Influence Over time, distinct personalities and groups developed substantial influence within the party. Political influence by itself is not a problem. Indeed, strong personalities can collectively make a political party formidable.
The difficulty arises when authority boundaries are unclear and different groups believe they have the legitimate right to determine the party’s direction.
The emergence of what could be described as competing camps, including the tendency associated with Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed and the political structure associated with Sheikh Malam Ibrahim Khalil and other stakeholders, gradually created an atmosphere in which normal political disagreements were interpreted as struggles for control of the party.
A successful reconciliation process must therefore address competition for political space, not merely personal disputes. Deficit of Continuous Consultation A coalition of politically experienced people cannot be managed effectively by occasional meetings alone. Important decisions affecting leadership, candidates, congresses, primaries and the party’s future require continuous consultation.When consultation is insufficient, even well-intentioned decisions may be perceived as attempts to exclude.
The Kano ADC crisis therefore demonstrates the need for a permanent consultative mechanism through which major stakeholders can ventilate concerns before they escalate into public disputes.
Inadequate Conflict-Prevention Mechanisms Every serious political party should assume that disputes will arise. The key question is whether institutional mechanisms exist to resolve them before they escalate into crises.
ADC Kano has lacked a sufficiently respected internal conflict-management arrangement capable of intervening immediately when disagreements arose. Consequently, issues that could have been resolved internally became increasingly personalised, factionalised and publicly contested.
THE IMMEDIATE CAUSES
The Governorship Direct Primary of Friday, 22 May 2026The governorship primary held on Friday, 22 May 2026 became the most significant immediate trigger of the present crisis. The election was conducted through the direct-primary method, involving party members at the grassroots. However, questions subsequently arose regarding the organisation, supervision, collation and formal declaration of the exercise.
The controversies surrounding the House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly primaries on 21st May 2026, and the Governorship on 22nd May 2026, must therefore be addressed transparently if confidence is to be restored.2.2 Late Arrival of Officials Assigned to Conduct the Primary A particularly serious concern was the reported late arrival in Kano of officials assigned from Abuja to conduct or supervise the primary election.
They reportedly arrived very late after departing Abuja on 21 May 2026.This created a major credibility problem because voting activities in certain locations had effectively commenced or taken place while those expected to supervise the exercise were still travelling to Kano.
Even when voting reflected the genuine wishes of party members, such circumstances inevitably raise questions about procedure.The issue therefore involves two distinct matters: the possible political preference expressed by members, and the procedural credibility of the process used to record and validate that preference. Both must be addressed.
Inconsistent Conduct of the Direct Primary The direct primary was reportedly not conducted uniformly across Kano State. In some Local Government Areas, voting took place at the ward level, whereas in others it was concentrated at party offices or other designated centres.
These differences became problematic when stakeholders lacked clear, universally applicable guidelines.A direct primary in a state as large and politically complex as Kano requires predetermined voting locations, accredited membership registers, identical voting procedures, properly identified officials, standardised result sheets, transparent collation, agents representing aspirants, and documented transmission of results. Any inconsistency creates room for suspicion.
Failure to Promptly Announce the Primary Election Results Perhaps the most damaging immediate development was the failure to announce the outcome of the governorship primary and of other aspirants’ primaries held on 21st May 2026 after voting had officially ended.
A primary election is not complete merely because voting has taken place. It ends with collation, authentication, the declaration of results, and the communication of the outcome to contestants and members.The vacuum created by the absence of a timely official declaration of the results allowed speculation, suspicion and rival narratives to flourish, not only for the Governorship but also for 21st May 2026.
Widespread Belief That Sheikh Malam Ibrahim Khalil Won the Primary According to reports and information circulating among a substantial number of ADC members, Sheikh Malam Ibrahim Khalil won the direct primary by an overwhelming majority, reportedly by more than 50,000 votes.This belief appears to be widely held outside the political tendency that disputes the process.
However, for reconciliation purposes, the matter should not remain at the level of competing political assertions.The party should establish the outcome institutionally by examining and authenticating the primary-election records. A political party cannot permanently resolve a dispute by asking one faction to accept another’s account. Evidence must replace speculation.
THE UNDERLYING NATURE OF THE CRISIS
First: A Crisis of Inclusion – some stakeholders believe that political changes within the ADC have not adequately accommodated their interests, histories or contributions.Second:
A Crisis of Trust – different political tendencies increasingly doubt each other’s intentions and actions.Third: A Crisis of Procedure – questions surrounding the organisation, supervision, collation, and declaration of the governorship primary have created doubts that require authoritative resolution.
A Crisis of Communication – inadequate communication has allowed rumours and interpretations to supplant agreed facts.
A Crisis of Political Leadership – the situation now requires leaders not looters who can place the ADC’s collective interest above individual ambitions, camps and personalities.
DANGERS OF ALLOWING THE CRISIS TO CONTINUE
Failure to resolve the crisis quickly could have consequences extending far beyond the governorship contest. It could weaken ADC candidates for the State House of Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate; undermine the governorship campaign; reduce grassroots enthusiasm; encourage defections; create parallel campaign organisations; discourage financiers and supporters; damage public confidence in the ADC as an alternative political platform; provide competing parties with political ammunition; undermine the ADC presidential campaign in Kano State; and destroy the opportunity created by the emerging coalition.
No faction can ultimately benefit from such an outcome. A divided ADC may produce winners within the party but losers in the general election.
PROPOSED IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS
Establish a Small, Neutral Reconciliation and Verification Committee The Presidential Candidate and National Leadership should establish a small committee of respected individuals not directly associated with any of the contending camps.Its mandate should be twofold: reconciliation – meeting all major stakeholders separately and collectively; and verification – examining the records of the 22nd May 2026 governorship primary, and in some cases those of the primary held on 21st May 2026, to resolve issues comprehensively.
The committee should be time-bound and complete its assignment promptly. It should not become another large political committee in which factions reproduce themselves.
CONDUCT A FORENSIC POLITICAL AUDIT OF THE GOVERNORSHIP PRIMARY
Rather than merely ordering another election or accepting rival claims, the party should conduct a Primary Elections Verification Exercise in Kano within the next week.The exercise should, where available, examine membership registers used; ward and LGA result sheets; names of electoral officials; agents’ signatures; photographs and video evidence; the times of commencement and conclusion; recorded votes from each participating area; discrepancies between announced and submitted figures; collation records; and reports from national electoral officials.A verified matrix covering all 44 Local Government Areas should then be compiled.
If the evidence establishes a clear winner, the party should have the courage to recognise the result. If material irregularities are sufficiently substantial to make a reliable determination impossible, an agreed remedial process can then be undertaken. The key is that political convenience must not replace evidence.
SEPARATE THE QUESTION OF CANDIDACY FROM THE QUESTION OF PARTY INCLUSION
A major mistake would be to believe that resolving the governorship candidacy automatically resolves the political crisis. It does not.Even after establishing who legitimately won the primary, the party must address how each major tendency will participate meaningfully in the ADC project.
There should therefore be two parallel settlements: Settlement A – Electoral Legitimacy: who legitimately emerged from the governorship primary process? The party’s national leadership must announce it, not merely the victor claim it. Settlement
Political Accommodation: how will all significant groups participate in the party in future?This distinction allows the party to uphold justice without humiliating those who did not prevail.
INTRODUCE A KANO ADC POLITICAL COMPACT
Another recommendation is to prepare a brief written Kano ADC Political Compact for major stakeholders to sign.It should include commitments to recognise the supremacy of constitutional party structures; reject parallel party organisations; accept credible internal dispute-resolution outcomes; avoid public attacks on fellow ADC members; respect legitimately nominated candidates; campaign jointly for all ADC candidates; oppose discrimination against any bloc; maintain consultation on major decisions; and resolve future disputes internally before approaching the media.
The compact should be political rather than legalistic. Its importance would lie in establishing a new code of conduct for the coalition.
CREATE A KANO ADC STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
The ADC should establish a relatively small Strategic Leadership Council representing the party’s major tendencies. It should not replace the State Executive Committee. Rather, it should serve as a forum for political consultation and crisis prevention.It should consist of State ADC old leadership members, major political leaders, representatives of significant coalition blocs, leadership of the governorship, National and State Assembly candidates, representatives of women, representatives of youths, and selected respected elders.It should meet regularly (monthly) until after the 2027 elections. This would help prevent future disagreements from becoming crises.
ADOPT THE PRINCIPLE OF “NO VICTOR, NO VANQUISHED
”Whoever emerges as the legitimate candidate for governorship should immediately extend a hand of fellowship to other aspirants and tendencies. Equally, those who do not prevail should regard their continued relevance within the party as more important than control of a particular ticket.There should be no triumphalism on the part of the winner and no sabotage by the aggrieved. Reconciliation cannot succeed if the aim is to humiliate one side.
INTRODUCE A POLITICAL ACCOMMODATION MATRIX
Another practical measure would be to map the political strengths of the various tendencies within Kano ADC. This does not mean distributing public offices before elections.Instead, allocate campaign and party responsibilities fairly across senatorial zones, Local Government Areas, women, youths, professional groups, traditional political networks, former ADC members, coalition entrants, and various stakeholder blocs, handled with maturity. People cooperate more effectively when they can see themselves as part of the project.
CREATE A JOINT 2027 CAMPAIGN ARCHITECTURE
Once reconciliation is achieved, Kano ADC should avoid separate campaign structures that compete against each other.One integrated campaign organisation should link the presidential campaign, the governorship campaign, Senate campaigns, House of Representatives campaigns, State Assembly campaigns, and grassroots party structures, from polling units, wards, and LGAs to the National Assembly constituencies and States, and ultimately to the national campaign council.Every candidate should see another ADC candidate’s success as contributing to their own success.
HOLD A CLOSED-DOOR KANO ADC UNITY RETREAT
Before organising a public rally proclaiming reconciliation, the key actors should first meet privately to discuss. The proposed retreat should not become a ceremonial gathering. Major grievances should be placed on the table. Participants should be allowed to speak candidly and openly. At the end, reduce agreements to writing and assign responsibilities.Only after genuine internal reconciliation should photographs, communiqués and public declarations follow. This prevents photographic reconciliation without political reconciliation and understanding.
INTRODUCE A 72-HOUR INTERNAL DISPUTE RULE
Future complaints relating to campaign activity, party administration, appointments, candidates, or political statements should first be submitted to an internal reconciliation mechanism.The mechanism should acknowledge every complaint within 24 hours and initiate intervention within 72 hours. This would prevent minor disputes from escalating into social media disputes and public accusations.
ESTABLISH A SINGLE AUTHORITATIVE COMMUNICATION CHANNEL
ADC Kano should designate authorised channels for communicating party decisions, meeting outcomes, primary-election matters, campaign programmes, appointments, disciplinary issues, and official responses to controversies. Uncontrolled information is a major source of political crisis.No sensitive decision should reach party members first through rumours, speculation, or hearsay. Official communication channels must be unified, agile, and vibrant.
FREEZE HOSTILE PUBLIC COMMENTARY
All factions should voluntarily refrain from inflammatory statements against one another while reconciliation is taking place. This should include supporters acting on behalf of political principals.Reconciliation becomes more difficult each time another accusation or insult enters the public domain. Political differences should be discussed internally rather than being turned into permanent personal hostility.
INVOLVE NATIONAL ADC LEADERSHIP WITHOUT DESTROYING STATE OWNERSHIP
The Presidential Candidate and the National leadership must help restore confidence, especially where questions arise about primary elections conducted under national authority. The Kano ADC conducted the primary elections under directives from the National Body.However, Abuja must not simply impose a settlement. Kano stakeholders should primarily own the sustainable agreement.National leadership and the Presidential Candidate should serve as guarantors, mediators and constitutional authority, not as another faction.
.A POSSIBLE PERSONAL INITIATIVE: THE “KANO ADC PEACE SHUTTLE
”Without establishing another formal political organisation, I can quietly consult key stakeholders.The purpose would be to listen rather than accuse; identify areas of agreement; separate personal grievances from institutional problems; identify concessions each side can make; determine irreducible issues; communicate proposals to stakeholders; and gradually prepare the ground for a collective meeting. Such quiet diplomacy may achieve more than public interventions.
DEVELOP AN EARLY-WARNING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL CRISES
The party should designate trusted representatives across the 44 Local Government Areas to report periodically on grassroots grievances, candidate disputes, mobilisation problems, emerging factionalism, rumours that could damage the party, and attempts at sabotage or defection. This would enable intervention before disagreements escalate into statewide crises.
SHIFT THE POLITICAL CONVERSATION FROM PERSONALITIES TO PURPOSE
Ultimately, ADC cannot win Kano by resolving quarrels among its leaders alone. The party must give Kano people compelling reasons to support it.Once reconciliation is achieved, attention should immediately shift to the core campaign messages on insecurity, poverty, unemployment, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth opportunities, women’s empowerment, infrastructure, economic development, and credible, accountable governance.An opposition party divided over its positions cannot convincingly ask citizens to entrust it with government.
PROPOSED ACTION TIMELINE
Within the First 72 Hours: suspend hostile public statements; appoint neutral mediators; secure all primary-election documents; begin separate consultations with the principal stakeholders; and establish a single authorised communication channel.Within Seven Days: complete verification of the governorship-primary records; identify the major political grievances of each camp; produce a proposed settlement framework; and hold individual consultations with major stakeholders.Within Fourteen Days: convene the closed-door ADC Kano Unity Retreat; resolve the governorship candidacy issue based on credible evidence and party rules; follow up on the other candidates’ contentious issues; sign the Kano ADC Political Compact; establish the Strategic Leadership Council; and agree on the joint campaign architecture.Immediately thereafter: hold a major ADC Kano Unity Meeting, at which every significant tendency publicly commits to the collective campaign. The symbolism should be unmistakable: One ADC. One Kano. One Campaign.
The Kano ADC crisis is serious, but it remains solvable. Indeed, if managed properly, it can become an opportunity to build a stronger, more sophisticated political organisation.The fundamental mistake would be to seek a solution based purely on who has sufficient political influence to defeat the other side. Such a settlement may produce temporary control while leaving permanent resentment.A better approach is to establish the truth about the governorship primary, correct procedural weaknesses, restore stakeholder confidence, accommodate legitimate political interests, and create institutions capable of preventing another crisis.The central question for every stakeholder should therefore not be: “Who controls Kano ADC?” It should be: “How do we collectively build an ADC strong enough to earn the confidence of Kano people and win the 2027 elections?”
The ADC has sufficient political space for all sincere stakeholders. There is also sufficient political work ahead for everyone. What the party cannot afford is a situation in which internal disagreements destroy an opportunity that its collective membership has worked so hard to create over the years.
The immediate task is reconciliation. The greater task is rebuilding trust. The ultimate task is to win the confidence of the people of Kano State.FINAL PRINCIPLE: No individual, camp, or ambition should take precedence over the African Democratic Congress’s collective survival and success in Kano State.
Dr. Muhammad Kabir is a Public Commentator writes from Nassarwa Local Government Kano.
Can be reached on 0803721467
