The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned what it described as politically motivated police summons issued to former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and some leaders of the party in the state.
The party, in a statement issued by its interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the use of law enforcement agencies to harass and intimidate opposition leaders is dangerous to the nation’s democracy.
Last week, a meeting by ADC leaders in Kaduna State was disrupted by political thugs, who also inflicted injuries on party leaders.
The ADC secretariat in Kaduna State was sealed while el-Rufia and some of the leaders were invited by the state police command for alleged breach of peace.
And this week in Kebbi, the convoy of former Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) was attacked in broad daylight around the GRA area of Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
ADC described these developments as an assault not just on individual politicians, but on Nigeria’s democracy itself.
“This growing trend is disturbing, and all Nigerians should take note,” the party said, and alleged that police in Kaduna State “reportedly looked away as thugs -armed with stones and cutlasses -attacked a peaceful ADC gathering.
“Instead of arresting those responsible, the police are now targeting the victims with summons.”
It warned that the Nigeria Police Force should not become a willing tool of political suppression for the federal government, rather than a national security department, “that is truly focused on rooting out bandits and other criminals across the country.”
The party noted that despite the seriousness of the attack on Malami’s convoy, no arrests have been made, “and the perpetrators remain at large.”
It stated that the sealing off of the ADC party offices in Kaduna ahead of a planned meeting of zonal leaders was a deliberate attempt to stifle the party’s constitutional right to assemble and organise.
“The ADC wishes to place this on record: these acts by the police are not isolated. They represent a systematic attempt to criminalise opposition politics, especially in states where the ruling party feels threatened by the growing influence of the ADC,” it said.
The party, therefore, called on the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to immediately withdraw the politically motivated summons issued to Nasir el-Rufai and other ADC leaders in Kaduna State.
“These invitations are not about justice or security; they are about silencing dissent and should therefore be halted without delay.
“We demand that the police authorities unseal the ADC office in Kaduna State, and stop the illegal obstruction of lawful political activity. No democracy can thrive where opposition party structures are routinely shut down under a vague pretext.”
It demanded that the police should publish the names of those who filed complaints that triggered the recent investigations and summons to ADC leaders in Kaduna State.
“The public deserves to know who is behind these attacks on political freedom, and what interests they serve.
“We further demand that security agencies arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attack on Abubakar Malami’s convoy in Kebbi State, as well as the violent thugs who disrupted our stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna.
“The failure to bring these perpetrators to justice only emboldens further violence,” ADC warned.
The party further called for an internal disciplinary process within the police to investigate officers who were present during these incidents but failed to act.
“Those who stood by and allowed political violence to occur should not be wearing the uniform of the Nigerian state,” the party demanded.
