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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has flagged off the presidential campaign of the African Democratic Congress in Sokoto State with a heavy allegation against the ruling party: that its agents are going from village to village in northern Nigeria buying up voters' cards in an attempt to manipulate the 2027 election.
Atiku made the claim at the campaign's formal launch in Sokoto on Wednesday, Leadership and The Nation report. He told supporters that members of the All Progressives Congress were moving through communities in the north purchasing Permanent Voter Cards, and he urged Nigerians to protect their cards and come out to vote regardless.
What exactly did Atiku allege?
According to the reports, the ADC presidential candidate said the alleged card-buying drive is part of an effort to weaken opposition turnout in the next general election. He vowed that he would not allow himself to be rigged out of the election the way he says happened in 2023, and he called on his supporters to come out and vote "as if it were Judgment Day."
It is important to state clearly that this is an allegation by Atiku's campaign. The APC has not responded to the specific claim in the coverage reviewed, and no evidence has been presented publicly by the ADC for the assertion that voters' cards are being bought village by village. Readers should weigh it as a campaign-season accusation.
Why did Atiku choose Sokoto?
The campaign says Sokoto was chosen deliberately for its historical and religious significance, with the city described as a centre of peace. Atiku promised that an ADC government would tackle insecurity, reopen Nigeria's land borders to boost regional trade, and make Hajj and Christian pilgrimages more affordable for Nigerians.
The Sokoto State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Lamido, is serving as the campaign's coordinator in the state, and he described Sokoto as effectively being run as a one-party state, a line aimed at persuading local voters that the state needs change. Former Governor Aminu Tambuwal also addressed the rally, while Senator Augustine Akobundu serves as Director-General of the campaign council.
What is the wider political picture?
The flag-off comes as the 2027 race sharpens around the north. On the same day, President Bola Tinubu's own campaign took its message to Lafia in Nasarawa State, with Vice President Kashim Shettima leading the push, which means both major camps are now visibly competing for the same northern bloc of votes.
The Sokoto launch also follows a tense week between Atiku and the state security services. As this blog reported earlier, the Department of State Services publicly denied Atiku's claim that it was organising protests in Sokoto and ordered an investigation into the allegation (https://www.bhginfodesks.com/2026/11/dss-denies-atikus-claim-it-is.html).
With the campaign formally off the ground, attention now turns to how the voters' card allegation plays out: whether the APC responds substantively, whether the ADC produces any evidence, and whether electoral authorities weigh in before the 2027 cycle gathers full speed.
FAQ
What did Atiku allege at his Sokoto campaign launch? He alleged that APC agents are buying voters' cards from residents village by village in northern Nigeria as part of an attempt to manipulate the 2027 election. The APC has not responded to the claim.
Where did the ADC launch its presidential campaign? At a rally in Sokoto on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
What did Atiku promise at the flag-off? Tackling insecurity, reopening land borders, and making Hajj and Christian pilgrimages more affordable.
Sources: Leadership, The Nation, Parrot Nigeria. The voters' card claim is an unverified campaign allegation and is reported as such.
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