A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Aliyu Gantsa, has been suspended by the Jigawa State chapter of the party.
The suspension was announced in a joint statement issued to journalists in Dutse on Monday and signed by Ahmad Garba, Polling Unit Chairman of Primary School, Gantsa Fada Yamma; Nasiru Garba Dan Halima, Gantsa Ward Chairman; and Isyaku Muhammad Lelenkudu, the party’s chairman in Buji Local Government Area, NEWSNGR reports.
However, Gantsa has rejected his suspension, describing the action as unconstitutional and an attempt to silence him.
Gantsa, a member of the party’s National Working Committee, was suspended for 12 months by party executives in Buji Local Government Area of Jigawa State over alleged anti-party activities.
According to the statement, the suspension took effect on October 19, 2026, and will end on October 19, 2027.
The party officials said the decision followed concerns about discipline, internal unity and compliance with the party’s rules.
They added that the suspension had been approved by the ADC Ward Executive Committee on October 5 and the Local Government Working Committee on October 16, 2026.
The statement accused Gantsa of engaging in activities that allegedly damaged the party’s reputation and undermined its candidates.
“Gantsa’s action was bringing the name, integrity and public standing of the African Democratic Congress into serious disrepute,” the statement said.
The executives also accused him of publicly supporting an aspirant who lost in the party’s primary election.
They argued that his alleged support for the defeated aspirant amounted to undermining candidates officially chosen by the party.
As part of the suspension, Gantsa was barred from attending or participating in ADC meetings, rallies, caucuses and other official gatherings at the polling unit, ward, local government, state and national levels.
He was also barred from exercising the rights, duties and privileges attached to his party membership and any position he held within the ADC.
However, the party said Gantsa could challenge the decision by submitting a formal written appeal to the Ward Executive Committee or Local Government Executive Committee within 14 days of receiving the suspension notice.
The executives urged party members to remain calm and respect the decision, while calling on Gantsa to use the suspension period to reflect on his conduct.
But Gantsa rejected the action when contacted by PUNCH, insisting that the ward executives had no constitutional authority to suspend him.
“I am a member of the National Working Committee of the ADC. The ward executive has no basis and no ground whatsoever to suspend me. Their action is unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect,” he said.
The ADC chieftain accused the party’s state leadership of using the ward and polling unit executives to target him because of his growing influence within the party.
“This is the handiwork of the state leadership who are afraid of my growing influence. They are using the polling unit and ward to do what they cannot do themselves,” Gantsa alleged.
He maintained that he remained a committed member of the ADC despite the suspension and would continue to work for the party’s progress.
“I remain a committed and loyal member of the ADC. No amount of intimidation will make me abandon the party I laboured to build. I will seek redress through the appropriate party organs,” he added.
