The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the reported attack on its members in Kaduna State, describing the incident as an unacceptable escalation in political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC warned that the introduction of political thuggery and violence into the electoral process poses a serious threat to democratic participation and could have far-reaching consequences.

The party stressed that its commitment to peaceful democratic engagement should not be misconstrued as weakness, warning that no political party, individual or group has a monopoly on non-state sanctioned violence.

“Let nobody mistake our commitment to peaceful democratic participation for weakness. No political party has a monopoly on non-state sanctioned violence. Once violence becomes an accepted instrument of political competition, nobody can predict where it ends,” the statement said.

The ADC consequently called on security agencies to take immediate action to investigate the attack and bring those responsible to justice. The party urged authorities to identify, arrest and prosecute not only those who carried out the attack but also anyone found to have sponsored or organised it.

“This is why the security agencies must act now. Those responsible for the attack, as well as anyone who sponsored or organised it, must be identified, arrested and prosecuted,” Abdullahi said.

The party also expressed solidarity with its Kaduna State governorship candidate, Hon. Isa Ashiru, and all ADC members affected by the incident. It further called on the Kaduna State Government to take concrete steps to guarantee the safety of opposition parties and ensure that all political actors can participate freely and peacefully in the electoral process.

The ADC maintained that Kaduna State belongs to all its citizens and should not be treated as the exclusive political domain of any party.

“Kaduna belongs to its people, not to any party. If anyone believes intimidation will frighten the ADC off the political field, they have badly miscalculated,” the party said.

Reaffirming its commitment to democratic competition in the state, the ADC said it would not be deterred by threats or intimidation and would continue to organise, mobilise supporters and campaign across Kaduna State.

“We will not be intimidated. We will organise, we will campaign, and we will compete in every part of Kaduna State. The 2027 elections must be decided by ideas competing at the ballot box, not by thugs and bruises,” the party declared.

The ADC called on all political parties, candidates and their supporters to reject violence and embrace issue-based political engagement, emphasising that the credibility of the 2027 elections will depend on the ability of all stakeholders to compete freely, safely and fairly.