According to a report from ThisDay on August 15, 2025, the Kaduna State Government has responded to allegations from a coalition of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) by labeling former governor Nasir El-Rufai as a “frustrated politician who is sinking and wants to drag others along.”
The coalition, which included El-Rufai and was led by ADC National Vice Chairman Jafaru Sani, had accused the state government of plotting to rig the upcoming bye-elections for the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency and state constituencies in Zaria and Sabon-Gari.
They alleged that the plan involved recruiting thugs, bribing electoral officials, and buying votes.
In a strong rebuttal, Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, described the claims as “baseless, mischievous, and a desperate attempt to discredit an election the coalition knows it cannot win.”
Maiyaki further stated that “democracy in Kaduna is alive and thriving and no amount of theatre from El-Rufai’s political leftovers will change that.” He described El-Rufai as a “frustrated politician who is sinking and wants to drag others along.”
The commissioner also dismissed the coalition’s claims of illegal deductions from local government funds for the elections and that plots of land were being offered to INEC officials as inducements. He emphasized that the state government has no role in the conduct of elections, which is the exclusive responsibility of INEC.
Maiyaki also accused El-Rufai’s past administration of using violence, contrasting it with Governor Uba Sani’s inclusive leadership.
To prove his point, Maiyaki noted that Governor Sani was in Chikun LGA flagging off the construction of the Romi–Karatudu Township Road, a community that was “abandoned and demolished” under El-Rufai’s rule.
He urged voters to disregard the “rantings of political jobbers” and participate in the elections, while also announcing that the government’s lawyers would study the coalition’s allegations for possible legal action.
Love Reading Authentic News Stories, Click The Button Below