Monday, October 5, 2026 -The African Democratic Congress, ADC, Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, has described Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State’s call to arrest “Tinubu Must Go” protesters as an assault on Nigeria’s democracy
ADC’s PCC said Nigerians must not be threatened into silence
for opposing President Bola Tinubu.
Reacting to Zulum’s latest video calling for the arrest of
protesters after an initial denial, the council insisted that no governor has
the right to criminalise peaceful political opinion.
In a statement signed by its Director of Strategic
Communications, Phrank Shaibu, the council said: “A viral video now
circulating, in which Governor Babagana Zulum speaks in Hausa and orders the
arrest and detention of anyone caught expressing ‘Tinubu Must Go’, raises grave
questions about his respect for citizens’ democratic rights.
Zulum recently denied ordering the arrest of people wearing
‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-shirts. He must explain the fresh video and reconcile its
contents with that denial. Nigerians deserve clarity, not contradictory
messages about whether peaceful critics will be arrested.
“No governor has the authority to criminalise peaceful
political opinion. A slogan, a T-shirt or a call for a president to leave
office is not, by itself, a crime. Borno State is not a political detention
centre, and its citizens must not be threatened into silence for opposing
President Tinubu.
“If the authorities have credible evidence of a separate
offence, they should present it in court and allow due process to take its
course. They must not use other allegations as a cover to punish citizens for
their political views.
“We call on Governor Zulum to withdraw any directive
targeting peaceful protesters and to guarantee that no one will be arrested
solely for expressing opposition to President Tinubu. A government confident in
its record answers criticism with evidence and performance, not threats of
arrest and detention.”
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