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Nnamdi Kanu: Rights Group Kicks Over Protest Ban, Tasks Nigerian Government

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A human rights and pro-democracy organization, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development, FENRAD, has condemned the restriction placed on the organizers of the ‘Free Nnamdi Kanu’ protest.

FENRAD, in a statement on Sunday by Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, its Executive Director, said the actions of the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force in restricting peaceful protests to some location within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was unjustified.

DAILY POST recalls that following a Federal High Court ruling in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025 – Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Omoyele Sowore & 4 others, the Nigeria Police had warned the organisers of the protest to keep off the National Assembly, Aso Rock Villa, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.

It acknowledged the need for public order and national security, it is deeply concerned that such sweeping restrictions represent a dangerous erosion of constitutionally guaranteed rights, particularly the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression as enshrined in Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as relevant international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.

According to him, “The decision to criminalize peaceful gatherings — particularly those advocating for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a matter of national and international human rights interest — sets a disturbing precedent and raises questions about the government’s tolerance for dissent and democratic engagement.”

The rights group then emphasized that “court orders should not be used as tools to suppress lawful civil expression. Judicial pronouncements that infringe on fundamental rights must be challenged and subjected to higher judicial scrutiny.

“The blanket ban on protests near key national sites amounts to the militarization of civil space, especially in a democracy. Protest is a legitimate instrument of public expression in democratic societies.

“Security concerns must never override human rights. Peaceful protest is not synonymous with violence. The presumption of criminality against peaceful demonstrators is a breach of both domestic and international legal norms.

“The right to assemble and protest is non-negotiable in a democratic society. Governments should engage with and address grievances through dialogue, not repression.”

FENRAD urged the Nigerian Government, particularly the police and other security agencies, to reconsider this unconstitutional position and allow citizens to freely express themselves within the ambit of the law.

“We call on civil society, the legal community, the international community, and all lovers of democracy to stand firm in defence of civil liberties in Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s democracy must not become a mere slogan — it must reflect in how authorities treat dissenting voices, especially those calling for justice and human rights,” it further stated.

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POLITICS: Wike-led PDP Faction Takes Over Party Secretariat In Oyo

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Members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, have taken over the secretariat of the party in Oyo State.

The secretariat, located in the Molete area of Ibadan, was in the custody of the faction loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde of the state until Thursday when the members loyal to Wike took over the premises.

DAILY POST gathered that the PDP members stormed the secretariat on Thursday and occupied the premises with hundreds of members of the party in attendance.

PDP chairman in the state, Professor Abdulrahman Akinoso, confirmed the development to DAILY POST.

Akinoso in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, insisted that the real owners have taken over the premises.

He said, “It is true. It is not faction. It is PDP. We have taken over the premises. It was in the morning. We were there in the morning. We just left the premises. We are now in control. We have taken over the premises.” .…For more, Complete your reading.

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POLITICS: Foreign Recognition Won’t Secure Re-election – ADC Tells Tinubu

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has told President Bola Tinubu that foreign recognition will not secure him another term in office, insisting that Nigerians will judge his administration by its performance, not by diplomatic gestures from other world leaders.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party reacted to the Presidency’s celebration of a purported letter from United States President Donald Trump to Tinubu.

The ADC said presenting the letter as an endorsement of Tinubu’s administration was misleading, stressing that diplomatic correspondence between world leaders is a normal part of international relations.

“The Presidency’s attempt to present President Donald Trump’s letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as though it were a referendum on the state of the nation is not correct,” the party said.

According to the ADC, countries cooperate, leaders exchange views and letters regularly, adding that such communication does not amount to an endorsement of a government’s performance.

The party accused the Tinubu administration of being desperate for international validation instead of focusing on solving Nigeria’s challenges.

“It is apparent that this administration is desperate to seize upon any gesture of international recognition as proof of success at home,” the statement said.

The ADC maintained that “a letter from a foreign president, however well-intentioned, cannot substitute for the verdict of the Nigerian people.”

It added that the true measure of any government is not what foreign leaders say about it, but what citizens experience daily.

The opposition party argued that Trump’s letter had not changed the reality facing millions of Nigerians, especially those affected by insecurity.

“For the millions of Nigerians still living with the consequences of this government’s failures, President Trump’s communication changes nothing. It did not say that insecurity has been overcome or that Nigerians can once again travel freely, farm safely and sleep without fear,” the party stated.

The ADC also pointed to the continued captivity of hundreds of women and children in parts of Borno State and Kaiama in Kwara State, while many communities in Benue and other parts of the country still live in constant fear because of insecurity.

The party further noted that, despite the Presidency’s celebration of the letter, the United States Department of State has not changed its travel advisory for Nigeria.

According to the ADC, several Nigerian states remain under Level 3 and Level 4 travel advisories, with American citizens still being urged to reconsider or avoid travel because of crime, terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest.

“We therefore wonder how correspondence from a government that designates several Nigerian states as ‘Do Not Travel’ areas can be regarded as an endorsement,” the party said.

It argued that the travel advisory shows the international assessment of Nigeria’s security situation remains different from the image the Presidency is trying to project.

The ADC said Nigerians are more concerned about their safety than diplomatic exchanges between presidents.

“The daily reality of Nigerians is shaped not by diplomatic correspondence, but by the guarantee that they can go about their lives without falling victim to violent crime or terrorism,” it said.

The party stressed that Trump’s letter was simply communication between two presidents and “does not amount to an endorsement of this government’s overall performance.”

It urged the Tinubu administration to focus less on celebrating diplomatic courtesies and more on delivering measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians.

“Ultimately, Nigerians will not judge this government by the letters it receives from foreign capitals. They will judge it by whether .…For more, Complete your reading.

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