Kaduna ADC: Mikati Supporters Reject Ashiru's Certificate

A coalition of supporters of Idris Mikati has rejected the Certificate of Return issued to Isa Ashiru as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kaduna State.

 

The coalition, made up of the Kaduna State ADC Youth Vanguard and Mikati Support Groups across the state's 23 Local Government Areas, stated its position in a statement signed by its Chairman, Usman Sani, on Thursday.

 

It described the certificate, issued on Oct. 4, as illegal, procedurally flawed and unacceptable.

 

According to the statement, the certificate was issued despite a pending court case and without proper ratification by the party's National Working Committee (NWC).

 

The coalition called the decision a betrayal of internal democracy and a violation of the ADC Constitution and of the wishes of lawful delegates. It also alleged that the NWC had not met for more than six months.

 

The statement recalled that the party's governorship primary in May 2026 declared Ashiru the winner with 86,113 votes.

 

Four aggrieved aspirants, including Mikati, then petitioned the Electoral Appeal Committee set up by the NWC, it said.

 

The committee, chaired by Dr Mustapha Fagge, reportedly reviewed the evidence and overturned Ashiru's declaration. According to the coalition, the committee then declared Mikati the authentic candidate on the basis of evidence, legal advice and reports from security agencies.

 

The coalition alleged that the NWC failed to convene a meeting to consider and ratify the committee's report. Instead, it said, the national leadership issued a Certificate of Return based on a contested result that the appeal panel had allegedly overturned.

 

"How can a party establish an internal dispute mechanism and then ignore its own verdict?" the coalition asked.

 

It argued that issuing the certificate without formal ratification by the NWC or the National Executive Committee amounted to acting outside due process.

 

The coalition said it totally rejected the certificate, describing it as null, void and without effect.

 

It reaffirmed Mikati as the authentic ADC governorship candidate, citing what it described as his victory before the party's Electoral Appeal Committee.

 

The supporters warned that the development could deepen factionalisation within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

They urged the ADC national leadership to reverse the decision, convene an emergency NWC meeting and uphold the report of the Fagge-led Electoral Appeal Committee declaring Mikati the winner.

 

 

The coalition said Mikati had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to protect his mandate. It warned that any attempt to submit Ashiru's name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could face legal consequences.

 

It urged supporters, elders, youths, women and stakeholders across Kaduna to remain calm, resolute and law-abiding.

 

The coalition maintained that the mandate allegedly given to Mikati by delegates could not be taken away through what it described as administrative impunity.