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.

“This is especially troubling because Governor 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.”