The Sokoto State Leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, says Umar Faruk remains the authentic state Chairman of the party not Bello Isiyaku (Keegan).
In a statement issued to newsmen in Sokoto on December 8, 2025, and signed by State ADC Chairman Alhaji Muhammad Umar on behalf of the party leadership, the ADC clarified that Alhaji Bello Isiyaku (Keegan) is not the recognised chairman of the party in the state.
The leadership stressed that Isiyaku ceased to be Chairman in September 2022 following disciplinary action taken against him at the national level.
According to the party, “his suspension was a direct consequence of his decision to seek the 2023 governorship ticket under the ADC without clearance and in violation of party procedures and its constitutional provisions.”
“Following the suspension, a new leadership structure was constituted and duly ratified by the national headquarters, paving way for a seamless takeover of party activities in the state,” the statement reads.
The party further emphasised that “the legitimate and recognised chairman of the ADC in Sokoto State has been in office since the commencement of the transition process, long before the official announcement reached the public.”
It was also revealed that the current chairman, being a serving member of the ADC Board of Trustees (BOT), represented Sokoto during the emergency mini-convention held in Zaria on 22nd September 2022.
At that convention, strategic decisions affecting the future of the party were considered, including the validation and reaffirmation of Chief Ralph Nwosu as national leader.
The convention, according to the party, received full acknowledgment and legal recognition from the electoral umpire as well as the court, granting Nwosu a one-year caretaker mandate.
Upon completion of that tenure, power was formally transmitted to the current Interim National Chairman, Senator David Mark, ensuring leadership continuity and institutional stability.
The ADC leadership in Sokoto warned Alhaji Bello Isiyaku, to desist forthwith from posing as chairman or issuing public statements on behalf of the party.
The party accused him of persistently using media space to insult, defame and malign individuals under the guise of ADC representation, insisting that such actions are driven by personal motives, not party mandate.
ADC reaffirmed its commitment that the party in sokoto remains united, legally constituted and fully aligned with national directives and will no longer tolerate the misuse of its identity or authority by any individual.