Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Muhammad Bello, popularly known as Mainan Zazzau, has resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State, dealing a fresh political setback to the opposition party just days after it announced the resolution of its prolonged internal leadership crisis.
Bello formally ended his membership of the party in a resignation letter dated July 21, 2026, addressed to the chairman of the ADC in Dogarawa Ward, Sabon Gari Local Government Area. Copies of the letter were also sent to the party's national leadership, the National Working Committee, the Kaduna State Executive Committee, and the Sabon Gari Local Government Executive Committee. Although he confirmed that his resignation took immediate effect, he did not state the reason for leaving the party or indicate his next political destination.
In his letter, Bello thanked the party and its members for what he described as a mutually beneficial relationship during his time in the ADC and wished the party success in its future political activities. His decision came only months after he contested the party's governorship primary ahead of the 2027 elections, where he lost to former Kaduna governorship candidate Isa Ashiru.
The timing of his resignation has attracted widespread attention because it followed closely behind the ADC's announcement that rival factions within the Kaduna chapter had finally reconciled after months of internal disagreements. Party leaders had described the reconciliation as a major breakthrough that would allow members to unite ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The reconciliation process was spearheaded by Isa Ashiru and brought together leaders from the various factions that had been locked in disputes over the party's leadership and structure. The meeting lasted several hours and concluded with an agreement to work together, settle outstanding legal issues, and strengthen the party's grassroots organization across Kaduna State. Party officials expressed confidence that the crisis had been resolved and urged members to focus on building a stronger opposition platform.
Bello's resignation has therefore raised fresh questions about the stability of that reconciliation. While there is no evidence linking his departure directly to the earlier leadership dispute, political observers believe the exit of one of the party's most prominent governorship aspirants could undermine the message of unity the party sought to project after resolving its internal differences.
Mainan Zazzau has remained one of the most recognizable political figures in Kaduna State over the past decade. He was for many years regarded as a close political associate of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai before later aligning himself with Governor Uba Sani during the build-up to the 2023 governorship election.
During that period, Bello served as the Director-General of Uba Sani's governorship campaign and was subsequently appointed Commissioner for Education in the Kaduna State Executive Council. He was later moved to serve as Commissioner for Information before resigning from the administration after just over a year in office as political differences widened between Governor Uba Sani and his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Following his resignation from the state cabinet, Bello eventually returned to El-Rufai's political camp and formally resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress in January 2026. He immediately joined the African Democratic Congress, where he was appointed to the party's Constitution Review Committee as the ADC intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections.
His entry into the ADC was widely viewed as a significant political boost for the opposition party because of his experience in Kaduna politics and his influence within political circles in Zaria and other parts of the state. Shortly after joining the party, he declared his ambition to contest for the governorship under the ADC platform. However, he was defeated in the party's primary election by Isa Ashiru, who emerged as the party's governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
Although Bello remained within the ADC after the primary election, his sudden resignation has renewed speculation about possible political realignments ahead of the next election cycle. So far, he has not announced whether he intends to return to another political party or remain outside partisan politics.
His departure also comes during a period of wider political uncertainty within the Kaduna chapter of the ADC. The party has spent months trying to overcome legal battles and organizational disputes arising from disagreements over leadership following its congresses. Those disputes resulted in court cases, rival executives, and prolonged negotiations before stakeholders eventually agreed to reconcile and move forward together.
Despite Bello's exit, leaders of the Kaduna ADC have insisted that the party remains united and focused on strengthening its structure across the state. Party officials have maintained that only a handful of formal resignations have been received and that the departures will not affect preparations for the 2027 elections. They continue to express confidence that the reconciliation process has restored stability within the party.
For now, Bello has remained silent about his future plans. His resignation nevertheless marks another significant development in Kaduna's evolving political landscape, where alliances have continued to shift ahead of the next general elections. Whether his departure represents an isolated personal decision or the beginning of another round of political realignments remains uncertain, but it undoubtedly removes one of the ADC's most prominent political figures at a time when the party is attempting to project unity and consolidate its position as a major opposition force in Kaduna State.
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