The political landscape in Kaduna State is currently fraught with tension, primarily centered around the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its relationship with former governor Nasir El-Rufai. A group of "Concerned ADC members" first raised an alarm, calling for the national leadership's intervention due to a perceived "complete lack of unity, progress, and the survival of the party in the state." Adamu Ahmed Dattijo, leader of this group, highlighted recent developments that, according to him, signal a deliberate effort by certain individuals to divide and weaken the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections, rather than strengthening it. These actions, Dattijo warned, are threatening the party's stability in Kaduna and could "sabotage the collective project of building a united ADC that can win elections." He specifically accused El-Rufai of running a "one-man show," disregarding collective leadership and failing to acknowledge the duly elected Kaduna State ADC executive committee and other respected stakeholders. Decisions, Dattijo alleged, were being made without consultation, which he deemed "disrespectful" and "destructive," emphasizing that a political party thrives on inclusion and loyalty to its structures, not individual whims.

The deepening rift became overtly public when the ADC in Kaduna State officially disowned a controversial event linked to former governor Nasir El-Rufai. The party vehemently rejected any association with an event styled as the "Official Inauguration Ceremony of the Kaduna State APC, PDP, SDP, LP, NNPP to ADC Transition Committee," which took place on a Saturday. In a statement signed by Engr. Musa Idris, the ADC Kaduna State Publicity Secretary, the party declared it had "no knowledge of and is not part of this so-called inauguration," confirming that neither the State Executive Committee nor stakeholders across the 23 local government areas were consulted. The ADC leadership explicitly labeled this as "another clear manifestation of the divisive and destabilizing activities of Malam Nasir El-Rufai and his allies." Elder Patrick Ambut, the State Chairman, further clarified that El-Rufai was not a registered member of the ADC, despite having promised to complete his registration after recent bye-elections. Ambut stated that El-Rufai had failed to fulfill this promise, yet continued to "parade himself as our leader while creating positions that have no basis in the ADC Constitution," condemning such actions as "fraudulent and unacceptable." The party asserted that it remains under its recognized executive leadership and would resist any attempts to undermine its structures or its preparations for the 2027 general elections, urging members and the public to disregard the "illegitimate" inauguration.

Compounding the political controversy, the Kaduna State Police Command launched a thorough investigation into alleged political violence that erupted at the gathering linked to El-Rufai. Reports indicated that suspected thugs disrupted the inauguration ceremony, attacking participants and causing significant property damage. These hoodlums, armed with dangerous weapons such as cutlasses, clubs, and stones, reportedly injured several individuals and destroyed vehicles. DSP Mansir Hassan, the Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed that preliminary findings pointed to a clash during which "political gangsters allegedly fired shots, disrupting public peace." The police spokesperson also highlighted that the meeting was held "without prior notification" to security agencies, despite repeated warnings against such unauthorized gatherings. The command sternly cautioned hotels and event centers against hosting unapproved political meetings, warning that they would be held accountable for any breakdown of law and order. Hassan stressed that "anyone found culpable, no matter how highly placed, will face the full weight of the law." During their inquiry at the ADC party secretariat, the police noted that the party leadership denied knowledge of the meeting, further distancing themselves from the claims linked to the former governor and reaffirming their commitment to the rule of law.

Amidst the chaos, former governor Nasir El-Rufai, who was present at the event, described the attack as "a dangerous descent into lawlessness." He openly accused senior police officers, including an assistant commissioner, of complicity, claiming they "stood by and watched as the violence took place." El-Rufai warned against the "introduction of thuggery into Kaduna politics," asserting that "nobody has a monopoly on violence or thugs," and vowed to take "decisive steps" to prevent recurrence, including escalating the matter to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for what he perceived as a breach of duty by the police. Jafaru Sani, the ADC national vice-chairman (north-west), echoed condemnation of the violence, lamenting the re-emergence of political thuggery in Kaduna and affirming that opposition parties would "never be intimidated or forced to retreat" from their political activities. Meanwhile, Yahaya Baba-Pate, the APC secretary in Kaduna, denied any involvement of the ruling party, stating that the ADC and other opposition groups should be free to conduct their activities without harassment. The ADC leadership, recognizing the gravity of the situation, reiterated its commitment to the rule of law and called on its national leadership to urgently intervene to prevent further internal division and maintain stability within the party.