The African Democratic Congress has faulted the police command in Kaduna over its handling of the violent disruption of the party’s inauguration in Kaduna, where party members were allegedly attacked by armed thugs.

The ADC spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement on Sunday, stated that the venue of the party’s meeting had been duly pre-booked.

Mr Abdullahi said the party had expected the police’s statement to reassure Nigerians that justice would be served and that those responsible for the violence would be held accountable.

“Instead, what we read was a troubling attempt to criminalise legitimate political activity, prejudge individuals, and cast the opposition in the light of lawlessness,” he said.

He noted that the police statement linked the ADC to “political gangsters” even while stating that it had commenced an extensive investigation into the alleged political violence.

Mr Abdullahi said that investigations should establish facts before conclusions are drawn, adding that “when police act as judge and jury, it undermines both justice and democracy

He noted that first, the police statement rushed to link the ADC to “political gangsters” even while stating that it had commenced an extensive investigation into the alleged political violence.

He also faulted the claims by the Kaduna police that the ADC gathering was “unauthorised”, saying in a democracy, the right to assemble peacefully is guaranteed by the Constitution, not a police command.

He said that a police notification was a matter of procedure and often courtesy, not a license to exercise a right granted by the Constitution.

Mr Abdullahi also faulted the blanket suspension of “unauthorised gatherings” as declared by the Kaduna police command in its statement, as a clear overreach.

“Security agencies are to protect lawful assemblies, not proscribe them. To arrogate to themselves the power to decide which political meetings may hold is to hand the police veto authority over democracy itself.

“In this regard, the ADC rejects all attempts by the Kaduna state police command to drag our name into acts of violence that we neither organised nor condone. Our party remains committed to peaceful, issue-based politics. Our party remains committed to peaceful, issue-based politics,” he said.

Mr Abdullahi called on the command to immediately review its statement, conduct a transparent investigation, and explain why its officers were not on duty when ADC leaders and members were attacked.

(NAN)