The Kaduna State Government has rejected allegations by a coalition of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) that it is plotting to rig Saturday’s bye-elections, describing the claims as “baseless” and “a desperate bid to pre-empt defeat.”
The coalition, led by ADC National Vice Chairman (Northwest) Jafaru Sani, had accused Governor Uba Sani’s administration of recruiting thugs, bribing electoral officials, and engaging in large-scale vote buying to influence the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency and state constituency polls in Zaria and Sabon-Gari.
It also alleged that senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were being offered plots of land, while a former senator had been tasked with mobilising funds for vote buying.
Sani urged INEC to replace “compromised” officials and called on security agencies to resist any attempts to subvert the process.
Responding on Thursday, Commissioner for Information-designate Ahmed Maiyaki, flanked by Commissioner for Local Government Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, dismissed the allegations as “wild and unsubstantiated.”
“This is nothing but a face-saving measure by people who already know the outcome of Saturday’s election,” Maiyaki said. “We will not sit idly by while political opportunists smear our administration and malign innocent officials.”
Maiyaki insisted that election conduct rests solely with INEC and accused the coalition of trying to “drag the government into its own political misery.”
He added that while the coalition was “crying wolf,” Governor Sani was busy commissioning development projects, including the Romi–Karatudu Township Roads in Chikun Local Government.
Mamman-Lagos also rejected separate claims of illegal deductions from local government accounts.
The bye-elections, seen as a test of strength between the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition, are scheduled for Saturday. While the ADC/SDP coalition warns of possible compromise, the state government maintains that such fears are unfounded and part of an early concession narrative.
Attention now shifts to INEC and security agencies to ensure a peaceful and credible process.