By Our Reporter
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Amnesty International has condemned the cancellation of a planned public presentation of a book critically examining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, accusing the authorities of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, of yielding to political pressure.
The human rights organisation, in a statement published on its official X handle on Sunday, described the cancellation as an indication of what it called escalating political repression and growing intolerance of dissenting opinions in Nigeria.
The book, titled “Tinubu: From Renewed Hope to Despair: A Critical Examination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Government,” was scheduled for presentation on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Arewa House, Kaduna.
Amnesty International said the decision to cancel the event was particularly disturbing because the organisers, the Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training (CEDDERT), Zaria, allegedly encountered difficulties securing an alternative venue in Kaduna.
According to the organisation, hotels and event centres approached by the organisers reportedly declined to accommodate the presentation, claiming they had been warned against hosting the event.
“It is deeply disturbing that upon attempts by the organizers Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training (CEDDERT) Zaria to find an another venue for the book presentation in Kaduna all hotels and event centres approached declined, pointing out that ‘they have been warned not to accommodate our event,’” the statement said.
The rights group argued that the book presentation constituted a legitimate exercise of freedom of expression and peaceful intellectual engagement, insisting that a publication examining government policies and their implications for citizens should not be treated as a threat to public peace.
It further maintained that the book was already in the public domain, questioning the justification for preventing its public presentation.
Amnesty International called on Nigerian authorities to end what it described as undemocratic restrictions on freedom of expression, warning that attempts to suppress critical opinions could create an atmosphere of fear and make it increasingly difficult for citizens to express dissent.
“Desperate attempts to prevent the presentation of the book shows increasing pattern of intolerance of dissenting opinions,” the organisation said, adding that such a pattern of repression was unacceptable in a free society.
The organisation urged the authorities of Ahmadu Bello University to uphold freedom of expression and immediately and unconditionally reverse the cancellation of the booking of Arewa House, Kaduna, for the presentation.
It also stressed that the rights to freedom of expression and association must be protected, particularly where citizens seek to engage in peaceful discussions about public policies and governance.
The controversy comes amid broader debates over the protection of civil liberties, academic freedom and the right of citizens to scrutinise government policies through books, public discussions and other peaceful forms of expression.
However, the allegations that political pressure prompted the cancellation, as well as claims that other venues were warned against hosting the event, were presented by Amnesty International in its statement. The response of the university authorities and the management of Arewa House was not included in the statement.
