The leadership of Africa Democratic Party, ADC in Kaduna State has dragged the Nigeria Police Force before a federal High Court, Kaduna Division, following the ban placed on political party activities by police authorities in the State.
The applicant, Barrister Yusuf Bello, who described the ban as a breach of the fundamental human rights of ADC members, is asking the Court to determine whether the police Force has the right to ban political party activities or whether political activities constitute an offence, citing relevant sections of the law.
The applicant is also asking the court to enforce the fundamental human rights of members of opposition party as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to peaceful Assembly and the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.
Speaking in an interview, Barrister Bello, emphasized that the legal action was in response a recent Press statement issued by the Nigeria Police Command in Kaduna State through its spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, announcing a ban on all political party activities in the State.
The police issued the guideline in relation to last Saturday attack on a ADC meeting in Kaduna town by political thugs who injured some persons and destroyed vehicles and hotel property at the venue.
But the applicant argued that: “because the Nigeria Police do not have the ground or any legal backing to suspend any political gathering from the opposition.
“They (police) have zero percent backing for this.
“This is tarnishing our democracy. It’s tarnishing our rule of law. It’s tarnishing our Constitutional freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of association”, he said.
