Police barricaded roads to an Abuja venue on May 30. This prevented delegates from attending a planned PDP convention.
A faction loyal to Tanimu Turaki (SAN) had organised the gathering. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was to be endorsed as their candidate.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration had issued threats beforehand. Hotel and event centre owners faced warnings about hosting unrecognised political groups.
Property owners risked losing their title documents, authorities warned. Such sanctions represented serious consequences for business operators in the city.
Organisers eventually relocated the convention to another location. They proceeded with their activities despite the initial disruption.
This incident raises troubling questions about state power in Nigeria. Democracy itself appears to be shrinking in the nation's capital.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) faced similar problems in April. Their national convention also encountered obstacles allegedly linked to FCT authorities.
A pattern is emerging. Each incident suggests deliberate interference in political activities.
Regardless of views on the Turaki faction's legitimacy, something larger is at stake. Constitutional rights of all Nigerians hang in the balance.
Courts, INEC and political parties should decide party matters. Not the FCT minister through threats or security deployments.
The minister's job is running the capital and serving residents. Managing internal party disputes falls outside that mandate entirely.
Abuja belongs to every Nigerian, not just government officials. It was designed as neutral ground for all citizens.
Yet in the nation's capital, freedom of assembly now appears fragile. What does this tell other states about their own democratic freedoms?
Nigeria's Constitution is clear on this issue. Section 40 guarantees every citizen the right to assemble and associate freely.
Lack of official recognition cannot justify denying people their rights. Government approval should never determine who can gather peacefully.
Constitutional guarantees belong to all Nigerians. They aren't reserved for groups that officials happen to favour.
The FCT minister's powers are broad but not unlimited. Nowhere does the Constitution give officials power to silence political activity.
This episode occurred in Nigeria's most symbolic location. That makes it even more dangerous for democracy nationwide.
Citizens who value the rule of law should take notice. Today's actions in Abuja set precedents for tomorrow across Nigeria.
Shutting down conventions through police action threatens everyone's freedoms. No Nigerian should accept such tactics as normal governance.
The government must respect constitutional limits on its authority. Democracy survives only when all citizens can exercise their rights equally.