Mahdi Gusau Campaign Heads to Court Over Alleged Illegal Upload of Shinkafi as ADC Candidate

Nagam Maigari, Gusau

The campaign organisation of former Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, has announced plans to challenge in court the alleged uploading of Bilyaminu Shinkafi’s name on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 election.

In a statement dated August 14, 2026, the Mahdi Aliyu Gusau Campaign Organisation described the development as an attempt to manipulate the electoral process and undermine the outcome of the party’s governorship primary.

The organisation maintained that Gusau remains the authentic and duly elected ADC governorship candidate, saying he won the party’s primary election with 35,665 votes.

According to the campaign organisation, the primary was conducted in the presence of INEC officials, security agencies and party executives, with delegates drawn from all 14 local government areas of the state participating in the exercise.

It alleged that Shinkafi did not participate in the ADC primary, did not purchase the party’s nomination form and was not among the aspirants cleared to contest the election.

The campaign organisation further alleged that Shinkafi is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and had participated in the party’s primary process, arguing that this creates a legal impediment to his emergence as the ADC candidate for the same election cycle.

It also claimed that Shinkafi was not included in the list of ADC members and delegates submitted to INEC.

The organisation said it had assembled evidence to challenge what it described as the “fraudulent upload” and would immediately approach the courts to seek the restoration of Gusau’s candidacy.

It urged supporters of Gusau and the ADC to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that its legal team would pursue the matter to its conclusion.

“We will not fold our arms and allow this injustice to stand,” the organisation said, describing its legal action as an effort to retrieve what it called its “stolen mandate.”

The campaign organisation expressed confidence that the courts would uphold the outcome of the primary and restore Gusau as the ADC’s governorship candidate for Zamfara State.

It also vowed to use all lawful means to defend Gusau’s candidacy ahead of the 2027 general election.