Kaduna North: ADC Stakeholder seeks Bello El-Rufai’s disqualification over ineligibility to contest Reps [Petition]

The African Democratic Congress, ADC in Kaduna State may implode any moment as a Stakeholder Hon. Hussaini Baba has petitioned the National Headquarters of the party, pointing out the ineligibility of Hon. Bello El-Rufai to contest House of Representatives in 2027 general election.

In a copy of the petition addressed to the National Chairman of the ADC, dated 20th May, 2026 sighted by CAPITAL POST on Sunday in Abuja, the petitioner averred that El-Rufai, who is now a flagbearer of the ADC for Kaduna North breached the relevant section of the party Constitution over his late entry into the party before he contested for the primary.

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According to him, he was challenging the son of the embattled former governor of Kaduna State in good faith and as a loyal member of the ADC to save it from legal fireworks in the aftermath of elections.
Part of the petition read:

“I write as a concerned stakeholder and loyal member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna North to formally challenge the candidacy of Hon. Bello Elrufai as the ADC flagbearer for Kaduna North Federal Constituency.

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“Violation of ADC Constitution on defection timeline.
The Constitution of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as amended, clearly provides that any person seeking to contest for elective office under the platform of the party must be a registered and financial member of the party for a stipulated period prior to the conduct of primary elections.

“Hon. Bello Elrufai defected to the ADC only a few days before the conduct of the primary election. “This is in direct breach of the membership and eligibility requirements as provided in Article of our party and the Guidelines for the 2026 Primary Elections issued by the party.

“Lack of recognition as bona fide member before primaries
at the time of his defection, Hon. Bello Elrufai was not a card-carrying, dues-paying, or recognized member of ADC in his ward, local government, or state.

“He was not captured in the party’s membership register as at the time INEC’s statutory window for submission of membership lists closed.

“Therefore, he was not qualified to participate in the primary election, let alone emerge as candidate.

“Undermining internal democracy allowing his candidacy to stand sets a dangerous precedent that encourages political opportunism and defeats the principle of internal democracy.

“It disenfranchises loyal party members who have built the ADC over the years and rewards last-minute defectors with no ideological commitment to the party.”

Hon. Hussaini urged the National Working Committee of ADC to consider the petition and withdraw the candidacy of El-Rufai to save the party of unnecessary crisis, given that ADC is an opposition in the State.
He added that the primary that led to his emergence should be rendered nugatory, while a fresh election should be ordered.

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