The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has again raised concerns over an alleged plot to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, warning that such actions amount to political intimidation and a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC urged the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force to focus on arresting those responsible for the recent attack on the convoy of former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), rather than targeting opposition leaders.
The party recalled that it had earlier cautioned against what it described as harassment of its key leaders, including National Chairman Senator David Mark, former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha.
According to the statement, “At a time when terrorists and criminal gangs freely operate in large parts of the North, the Nigerian Police appears more interested in silencing opposition leaders than protecting citizens.
“After the recent attack in Kaduna, where former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other ADC leaders were assaulted, and the violent daylight attack on Abubakar Malami’s convoy in Birnin Kebbi — just meters away from a police outpost — no arrests have been made, and the perpetrators remain at large.”
The ADC described the situation as “deeply troubling,” alleging that instead of arresting the attackers, the police had issued summons to victims of the incidents and sealed the party’s secretariat in Kaduna State ahead of a planned zonal meeting.
“These actions are part of a systematic attempt to criminalize opposition politics, especially in states where the ruling party feels threatened by the growing influence of the ADC,” the statement added.
The party demanded the immediate withdrawal of what it called “politically motivated” police invitations to El-Rufai and other ADC leaders, insisting that the Kaduna State secretariat be unsealed without delay.
The ADC also called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attacks in Kaduna and Kebbi, while urging the Nigeria Police Force to publish the names of those who filed the complaints that led to the current investigations.
Furthermore, the party demanded an internal disciplinary process within the police to investigate officers who failed to act during the attacks, insisting that “those who stood by and allowed political violence to occur should not be wearing the uniform of the Nigerian state.”
“We urge the Federal Government to redirect the focus of the Nigeria Police toward their primary duty of protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians, rather than being used as a tool of political manipulation. Our party stands with our leaders and members. We will not be intimidated.”
