Top El-Rufai ally quits Kaduna ADC days after party’s reconciliation

Muhammad Bello, a key political ally of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) just days after the party announced it had resolved its internal leadership crisis in the state. Bello, also known as Mainan Zazzau, was a defeated governorship aspirant within the ADC.

His resignation represents a significant setback for the opposition party, which had recently celebrated the reconciliation of its rival factions. The party aims to strengthen its position against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming 2027 elections, with Isa Ashiru leading as its governorship candidate. Bello formally submitted his resignation letter on July 21 to the ADC chairman in Sabon Gari Ward.

While Bello did not explicitly state his reasons for leaving, his exit comes months after he failed to secure the ADC's governorship ticket, which went to Ashiru. Bello has a history of political realignments; he was a longtime supporter of El-Rufai, later served as Commissioner for Education under Governor Uba Sani, and then rejoined El-Rufai's political circle to contest for the ADC ticket.

Bello's departure casts fresh doubt on the stability of the Kaduna ADC. The party had just announced a peace deal to end months of infighting, with Ashiru calling the reconciliation a turning point. Bello's exit is likely to reignite concerns about the party's internal cohesion despite the recent efforts to unite its factions.