ADC, Amnesty International condemn police disruption of ‘Tinubu Must Go’ rally in Kano

By James Ike

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) and Amnesty International have condemned the alleged disruption of a ‘Tinubu Must Go’ rally in Kano State by police operatives, describing the action as an attack on citizens’ fundamental rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

The rally, organised by concerned youths and led by Barrister Abba Hikima at The Avenue Event Center, Kano, was reportedly disrupted when heavily armed police operatives barricaded both ends of the road leading to the venue and allegedly intimidated participants.

The ADC-PCC also expressed outrage over the reported arrest of the owner of the event centre for allegedly providing a venue for the gathering, questioning why a business owner should be punished for allowing citizens to exercise their constitutional rights.

In a statement on Sunday, the council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the Kano State Police Command of suppressing dissent and warned that the alleged action reflected growing intolerance of opposition voices under the All Progressives Congress-led government.

“This is not democracy. This is tyranny. For how long will the APC continue to use the police to suppress dissenting voices?” Ologbondiyan queried.

The council argued that the reported disruption of the rally would neither silence public frustration nor erase growing anger over hunger, insecurity and the rising cost of living in the country.

“The message from Kano is loud and clear: Nigerians are tired, hungry and angry. You can stop a rally and arrest a venue owner, but you cannot arrest hunger in the land. You cannot barricade the anger and frustration of over 200 million people,” he said.

The ADC-PCC accused the APC-led government of misdirecting its priorities, insisting that the resources and energy deployed to stop the rally would be better utilised in addressing insecurity, banditry and the worsening economic hardship confronting Nigerians.

“If the APC government had deployed the same energy it used to stop a peaceful rally at The Avenue Event Center to tackle insecurity, banditry and the excruciating cost of living, Nigeria would be a safer and more prosperous nation,” Ologbondiyan added.

The council commended Hikima and the youths who participated in the rally for their resolve despite the reported police intimidation.

It also called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Kano State Police Command to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the event centre owner, if still in custody, and refrain from actions capable of turning the police into an instrument of political oppression.

The ADC-PCC further urged civil society organisations, human rights groups and the international community to monitor what it described as a growing erosion of democratic freedoms in Nigeria.

“The right to protest is not a privilege granted by the police or the APC; it is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. No amount of intimidation will stop Nigerians from demanding change,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International also condemned the reported police action, describing the blocking of the venue as an unlawful violation of citizens’ human rights.

In a statement reacting to the incident, the human rights organisation said heavily armed police operatives had blocked both ends of the road leading to the venue of the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ event.

Amnesty International urged the Nigeria Police Force to desist from what it described as reckless violations of human rights, stressing that supporters of all political parties and candidates had the right to organise and participate in peaceful political activities.

It maintained that the responsibility of the police was to facilitate the peaceful conduct of political gatherings, irrespective of the political party or candidate being supported or opposed.

“Freedom of association and peaceful assembly is not exclusive to one political party and its supporters,” the organisation said.

Amnesty International further described the incident as part of what it called a troubling pattern of police repression targeting opposition members in different parts of the country.

It warned that repeated attacks and intimidation against opposition supporters could undermine democratic participation by making it increasingly difficult for citizens to associate freely and organise public gatherings.

Both the ADC-PCC and Amnesty International called for respect for citizens’ constitutional rights, warning that the suppression of peaceful protests could further deepen public distrust and undermine democratic freedoms.