Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, a governorship aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State, has rejected the consensus arrangement used by the party to produce candidates and called on party leaders to review the process in the interest of fairness, justice, and due process.
Inuwa made the call during a stakeholders’ meeting attended by his supporters from across the 34 local government areas of Katsina State at his office in Katsina on Saturday, June 6, 2026. He said the meeting was convened to brief party members on the controversy surrounding the emergence of ADC candidates for various elective positions, including the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, to the governorship seat.
He stated that he and his political associates joined the ADC to seek solutions to the challenges facing the people of Katsina State and Nigeria, stressing that their involvement in politics was driven by a desire to serve the public rather than pursue personal interests or political appointments.
“We were not satisfied with the style of leadership being practiced in Katsina and Nigeria, which is why we joined the ADC with the hope that it would bring meaningful change to the people. We cannot criticize others for violating rules and then turn around and do the same ourselves,” he said.
The former governorship candidate explained that party members had initially agreed that primary elections would be conducted across all wards in the state, allowing registered party members to choose their preferred candidates. However, he alleged that the arrangement was later changed, with a small committee given the authority to screen and select candidates.
According to him, the process violated both the party’s constitution and democratic principles. He argued that it was unfair for a few individuals to choose candidates on behalf of millions of party supporters without giving members the opportunity to express their views.
Inuwa further revealed that he had lodged a complaint with the party’s electoral committee, where he was reportedly informed that the process adopted was inconsistent with the party’s guidelines. He, however, lamented that the matter had not yet been properly resolved.
He urged both the national and state leadership of the ADC to revisit the candidate selection process in order to ensure transparency, fairness, and the confidence of party members ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“If ADC truly wants to succeed in Katsina State, it must follow the rule of law, give everyone a fair chance, and ensure justice for aspirants and party members. We have given the individuals responsible for this process one week to apologize to ADC members in Katsina and conduct proper primary elections,” he said.
Some of Inuwa’s supporters who attended the meeting reaffirmed their loyalty to him and pledged to remain by his side politically. They warned that if the ADC failed to correct the alleged irregularities and organize credible primary elections, they would support whatever political platform Dr. Inuwa chooses to join in the future.