A leaked audio recording allegedly involving the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, has stirred fresh controversy within the party, prompting denials from his supporters and renewed declarations of loyalty to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The audio, which has been widely circulated on social media, purportedly contains a telephone conversation in which the speaker criticises El-Rufai and suggests that joining the ADC was primarily a political strategy to secure the party’s governorship ticket.
However, the authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified, and it remains unclear whether the voice in the audio belongs to Ashiru or whether he made the remarks attributed to him.
In the recording, the speaker allegedly claims that internal divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) informed the decision to defect to the ADC, while also describing his relationship with El-Rufai as one driven by political necessity rather than personal conviction.
The leaked recording has triggered sharp reactions within the Kaduna chapter of the ADC, with Ashiru’s loyalists dismissing it as fabricated.
A prominent party member in Kaduna North, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to comment publicly, alleged that the audio was manipulated using artificial intelligence to damage Ashiru’s reputation ahead of future political contests.
According to the source, political opponents were behind what he described as a calculated smear campaign aimed at creating divisions within the opposition party.
The controversy also prompted a meeting of El-Rufai’s loyalists, who reaffirmed their commitment to the former governor and vowed to protect his political standing in Kaduna.
A party chieftain familiar with the meeting said members resolved to remain firmly behind El-Rufai despite the controversy and would hold further consultations on the way forward.
Amid the unfolding developments, Aisha El-Rufai, wife of the former governor, publicly reaffirmed her support for Ashiru.
In a post on her verified Facebook page, she declared, “No retreat, no surrender,” insisting that there would be no reversal of their political position despite the controversy generated by the leaked recording.
As of the time of filing this report, Ashiru had not issued an official statement on the matter. Efforts to reach him by telephone were unsuccessful, while text messages sent to his WhatsApp line had yet to receive a response.
Ashiru has contested the Kaduna governorship multiple times. He first challenged El-Rufai for the APC governorship ticket in 2015 before defecting to the PDP, where he emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in 2015, 2019 and 2023, losing each election. He is now seeking the state’s top office under the ADC platform.
The controversy comes as political realignments continue ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the opposition coalition seeking to consolidate its ranks while fending off internal disagreements and external pressure.