ADC Campaign Council Faults Zulum Over Alleged Threat to Arrest ‘Tinubu Must Go’ Protesters

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum over a viral video in which he allegedly ordered the arrest and detention of anyone caught expressing “Tinubu Must Go.”
In a statement signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday, October 4, 2026, the ADC PCC said the video, in which Zulum speaks in Hausa, “raises grave questions about his respect for citizens’ democratic rights.”
The council said the development was particularly troubling because Zulum had 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,” the statement said.
The ADC PCC argued that no governor had 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,” it said.
“Borno State is not a political detention centre, and its citizens must not be threatened into silence for opposing President Tinubu.”
The council said that if the authorities had 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,” it added.
The ADC PCC called on Governor Zulum to withdraw any directive targeting peaceful protesters and guarantee that no one would 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,” the statement said.