We reject in totality the purported Certificate of Return issued to Isa Ashiru – Mikati Support Groups

The Coalition of supporters of Hon. Idris Shuaibu Abubakar Mikati, comprising the Kaduna State ADC Youth Vanguard and all Mikati Support Groups across the 23 Local Government Areas, has watched with deep disappointment and total condemnation the illegal and procedurally flawed of a purported issuance of Certificate of Return to Hon Isa Ashiru on October 4, 2026 for the position of governorship candidate of ADC in Kaduna State despite a pending court case.

We state categorically that this action by the administrative desk of the National Secretariat of the ADC, purportedly acting for the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), is a betrayal of internal democracy, a violation of the ADC Constitution, and a direct assault on the will of lawful delegates. Indeed, we are aware that there has not been a National Working Committee meeting of the party for over six months!

As you are aware, after the May 2026 primary, the Primary Election Committee declared Ashiru winner with 86,113 votes. Four aggrieved aspirants, including our principal Shuaibu Idris Mikati, petitioned the Electoral Appeal Committee duly constituted by the NWC itself.

That Appeal Committee, chaired by Dr. Mustapha Fagge, reviewed all evidence and formally overturned Ashiru’s declaration and declared Idris Mikati as the authentic and rightful candidate of our great party based on the evidence before it, sound legal advice by the party’s lawyers, including the party’s National Legal Adviser, the security agencies reports and other auxiliary information and documents.

The NWC, being the day-to-day administrative organ responsible for ratifying results, has to date failed to convene the definitive meeting to consider and ratify the Appeal Committee’s report.

 The NWC itself admitted that its hands were full with appeals from other states.

 Instead of resolving this stalemate, the national leadership has now chosen to create a fait accompli by issuing a certificate based on a contested report that has been nullified by its own appeal panel.

This is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent. How can a party establish an internal dispute mechanism and then ignore its own verdict? How can a Certificate of Return be issued without a formal NWC/NEC ratification vote while an active internal appeal verdict in favor of Mikati is pending? This action was done ultra vires and without due process.

We therefore make the following declarations:

1. We reject in totality the purported Certificate of Return issued to Isa Ashiru. It is clearly, flawed, null, void and of no effect as it was not issued pursuant to a ratified NWC/NEC decision.

2. We reaffirm that Hon. Idris Shuaibu Abubakar Mikati remains the only candidate with a lawful appellate victory and therefore the authentic candidate of the ADC for the 2027 Kaduna governorship election.

3. We condemn the attempt by the NWC and NEC to bypass their own constitution to favor one aspirant. This action risks permanent factionalization of our party in Kaduna ahead of the 2027 general elections.

4. We call on the National Leadership of the ADC to immediately reverse this administrative error, convene an emergency NWC meeting, and uphold the report of Dr. Mustapha Fagge’s Appeal Committee which declared Mikati the winner.

5. We stand firmly with our principal who has rightly approached the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja to protect his mandate. We warn that the doctrine of lis pendens is now in effect and any attempt to submit Ashiru’s name to INEC will be met with legal consequences and could be nullified by the courts.

We call on all our teeming supporters, elders, youths, women, stakeholders and supporters across Southern and Northern Kaduna to remain calm, resolute and law-abiding. The mandate given to Mikati by delegates cannot be stolen through the backdoor by administrative impunity. Victory is ours and it would be sooner rather than later.

Long live ADC

Long live Kaduna State

Long live Nigeria

Signed:

For: Kaduna State ADC Youth Vanguard & Coalition of Mikati Support Groups