The Sokoto State Government has sealed the state secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over a dispute concerning the ownership of the property, barely two days before the party’s scheduled campaign flag-off in the state.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Nasir Dan Tsoho, announced the development on Monday, explaining that the decision followed a review of the property’s Certificate of Occupancy and other relevant documents.
According to the commissioner, the government’s action was also prompted by a recent disagreement involving supporters of different political parties, during which some individuals allegedly disrupted activities at the ADC secretariat.
Dan Tsoho said investigations by the ministry revealed that the property was still registered in the name of the defunct Savannah Bank, with no official record indicating a subsequent transfer of ownership.
He disclosed that the state government had contacted the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), which he identified as the custodian of the property, to ascertain its ownership status but was yet to receive a response.
“The purpose is simply to inform the general public that there is a government in town, and that has to be respected,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the premises would remain sealed until the ownership question was resolved, insisting that the measure was necessary to safeguard lives and property and prevent a breakdown of law and order.
He urged anyone claiming ownership of the building to present relevant documents for verification, adding that the premises could only be released after the necessary clarification.
Dan Tsoho further warned that the property would remain under the control of the state government until further notice.
He cautioned against any attempt to gain unauthorised access to the sealed building, threatening legal action and prosecution against anyone who violated the directive.
However, the development has attracted criticism from supporters of the ADC, who questioned the timing of the government's decision.
An ADC supporter, Bashir Garba Sufyan, in a post on X, described the sealing of the secretariat as a setback for democracy, noting that it occurred just two days before the party’s planned campaign flag-off scheduled for November 4, 2026.
Sufyan said the state government had cited the property's ownership by the defunct Savannah Bank as the reason for sealing the building pending further notice.
“This is coming just two days to the official ADC campaign flag-off which is scheduled in Sokoto State on the 4th of November, 2026,” he wrote.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the development, he questioned the state of democracy in the country, contrasting the situation with Nigeria's experience under military rule.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the current situation of our democracy in Nigeria, which the current President always claimed that he fought for. Nigeria wasn’t this bad during our military era,” he said.
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