‘We Are Dying In Silence’ — Sokoto Residents Tell Why They Trooped Out For Atiku

It was not just a campaign rally. For many residents who lined the road from Sultan Abubakar III International Airport to the ADC State Secretariat on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, it was a protest against hunger, insecurity and neglect.

It took the motorcade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, about three and a half hours to cover a journey that ordinarily takes minutes, as thousands abandoned their shops, offices and farms to join the procession.

At the flag-off, Atiku restated his pledge to tackle insecurity and introduce a production-based subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria to bring down the cost of living.

But on the streets, residents told LEADERSHIP in their own words on Thursday why they came out.

Mallam Sabiu Faruk Maishanu, a resident of Sokoto metropolis, said the hardship had become unbearable.

“Atiku and the ADC are God-sent. We buy fuel for N1,800 and sometimes N2,000. It is wild; we are dying in silence. Atiku will give us back subsidy,” he said.

Saidu Malunfashi, a cattle trader, said cattle rustling had destroyed his livelihood.

“Cattle rustlers, as a result of insecurity, have ended my business. This is because of the bad government of Bola Tinubu. Most people have also lost their farms. Insha Allah, he must go,” he said.

Mohammed Nahuche said Governor Ahmad Aliyu had abandoned the good people of Sokoto

“Governor Aliyu of Sokoto does not deserve a second term. He has no concern for human welfare, and no projects are seen in Sokoto. He has abandoned the people of Kebbe, Rabah and Tangaza where insecurity is ravaging,” he said.

A popular journalist in Sokoto, who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation, confided in LEADERSHIP that the ADC momentum rattled the Sokoto State Government.

“Governor Aliyu is scared of ADC. He has been asking us to help him,” the journalist said.

Tajudeen Abbas, a pensioner, said he had never seen such a crowd in Sokoto.

“It took ADC three hours from the Airport to bring Atiku to the ADC State Secretariat due to the mammoth crowd. I can tell you, Atiku is taking Sokoto,” Abbas said.

Atiku said Sokoto was deliberately chosen for the flag-off because of its historical significance and reputation for peace. He vowed that alleged attempts to frustrate the campaign would not stop the ADC.

The ADC also alleged that the Sokoto State Government denied it access to public facilities and sealed its campaign office on Ahmadu Bello Way.

The Sokoto State Government has denied any directive to frustrate the ADC. The Commissioner for Information, Sambo Danchadi, had earlier denied that hotels were asked not to accommodate ADC supporters. At the same time, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Nasiru Dantsoho, said the sealing of the office was over ownership issues, not politics.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has also ordered an investigation into Atiku’s allegation that protesters were recruited to disrupt the rally, a claim the Service described as inconsistent with its operations.

Sokoto is a traditional APC stronghold and home to the Sultanate. The size of the crowd that welcomed Atiku and the anger expressed by ordinary residents over fuel prices, insecurity, and governance signal that 2027 in Sokoto will not be a walkover for any party.