Jigawa ADC Crisis: Atiku Directs Rival Factions To End Legal Battle

The two rival factions of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Jigawa State have agreed to end their legal battles over the party’s governorship ticket following intervention by the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku directed the two camps to withdraw the court cases filed against each other and accept the list of candidates already submitted to and published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The development followed a reconciliation meeting attended by Atiku, ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and other national leaders of the party.

The latest move comes after weeks of reported disagreement within the Jigawa chapter over the governorship primary and candidate list.

Speaking with Tribune Online, ADC National Executive Committee member and Northwest Organizing Secretary, Hon. Ali Tukur, confirmed the agreement.

Tukur said the leaders of the two opposing camps, Senator Sabo Muhammad Nakudu and Hon. Bashir Adamu Jimbo, accepted the terms of the reconciliation and signed an agreement to end their legal disputes.

He explained that one of the cases was filed by Nakudu’s camp against the Jimbo-led faction over the list of candidates uploaded to the INEC portal.

The dispute covered the governorship running mate and some National and State Assembly candidates.

Tukur added that Jimbo’s camp had also filed a case challenging Nakudu’s eligibility to contest the governorship election, citing alleged irregularities in the primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.

He said the intervention by Atiku and other national leaders had helped resolve the disagreement and opened the way for reconciliation within the Jigawa chapter.

Speaking after the meeting, Atiku expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached between Nakudu and Jimbo.

“I am pleased to share this moment with two leading members of our ADC family in Jigawa State, our governorship candidate, Senator Muhammad Sabo Nakudu, and Hon. Bashir Adamu Jimbo,” Atiku said.

He noted that disagreements were part of democratic processes but urged party members to put their differences aside and work together.

“Elections and internal contests are an inevitable part of every democratic process. They may produce differences, but the strength of a political family is ultimately measured by its capacity to rise above those differences, reconcile competing interests and unite around a common purpose,” he said.

Atiku added, “Today, we have chosen unity over division and cooperation over acrimony.”

“The contest is behind us. The task ahead is greater than any individual ambition, and it demands that every member of our party bring their strength, experience and commitment to the collective cause.”

He further reaffirmed the unity of the party in Jigawa and across the country.

“We reaffirm that we are one ADC family in Jigawa State, across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” Atiku said.

The former vice-president added that the party would move forward with “mutual respect, renewed trust and a shared determination to work together.”

Naija News understands that the reconciliation comes against the backdrop of an earlier dispute in the Jigawa ADC over the governorship primary, with Jimbo’s camp challenging the process that produced Nakudu as the party’s candidate.