Obi, Obidient Movement condemn arrest and detention of Dele Farotimi, demand his immediate release
By Nnamdi Okosieme
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, (LP)and the Obidient Movement have condemned the arrest and detention of Dele Farotimi, lawyer and human rights advocate by the police.
Writing on his X handle on Tuesday, Obi said the arrest of Farotimi represented a gross misuse of police powers and a grave assault on the principles of democracy and justice in Nigeria.
The former Anambra State Governor who condemned the detention of the former LP Presidential Campaign Council (LPPCC)spokesman, said it amoubted to not only an attempt to intimidate opposing voices from questioning authority but is equally a worrying signal to every Nigerian who loves and values freedom of expression and dares to demand accountability and transparency.
“The Nigeria Police Force exists to protect the rights of citizens, not to suppress them. Defamation, by its nature, is a civil matter that should be addressed in court through due legal process in line with the dictates of the rule of law in a democracy.
“As a private citizen, former governor, and even today, I am frequently defamed, insulted, and lied about and against. Yet, I have never resorted to using the Nigerian police or filing reports to silence others”, Obi said.
He said those who feel otherwise should seek redress through the proper legal channels, not by weaponizing the police or abusing their access to authority or state power.
He said the resort to police action reeks of abuse of power and raises serious concerns about the independence and professionalism of the police as a civil force.
“I hereby request that Dele Farotimi should be released immediately and unconditionally. The police must recognize that their allegiance is to the Constitution and the people of Nigeria, not to narrow interests at the behest of those in power”, Obi said.
Obidient Movement kicks
Lending their voices to the call for Farotimi’s release members of the Obidient Movement said his detention allegedly stemming from a petition filed to Inspector General of the police, raising serious questions about the misuse of power and the suppression of freedom of speech in Nigeria.
Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, said as a vocal advocate for human rights, Dele Farotimi has consistently spoken out against injustice and championed the rights of marginalized communities. He said Farotimi’s arrest appears to be a blatant attempt to silence him and intimidate others who dare to challenge the status quo.
“We unequivocally condemn this nefarious act of abuse of power and demand that the Nigerian Police respect Dele Farotimi’s fundamental human rights as enshrined in section 40 of chapter4 of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended . We urge the Nigerian authorities to ensure his immediate and unconditional release, guaranteeing that his rights are protected throughout the process”, Dr. Tanko said.
Dr. Tanko who was tbe Chief Spokesperson of the LPPCC, said if the Federal Government failed to release immediately, members of the Obidient Movement would invoke their fundamental rights as citizens to engage in a series of public protests across the country to challenge the gross abuse of power and neglect of the people.
The Obidient Movement’s National Coordinator called on the International Community to note the disturbing development and to stand in solidarity with Mr. Farotimi and all those fighting for justice and human rights in Nigeria adding that the protection of human rights and the promotion of free speech are essential to a healthy democracy, and must therefore be collectively defended.
Insinuating that the arrest and detention of Farotimi was party of a grand ploy to target key opposition figures, Dr. Tanko said:
“We are aware of the one by one arrest which is targeted towards the arrest of His Excellency Peter Gregory Obi for speaking truth to power, we want to assure you that we will resist any form of cruelty and flagrant abuse of power against Mr Peter Obi. Nigeria belongs to all of us, we must be freed of tyranny and impunity and Democracy Must be protected. We stand in solidarity with Dele Farotimi and demand his immediate release.
Farotimi arraigned
The comments of Obi and the leadership of the Obidient Movement came in the wake of Farotimi’s arraignment on a 16-count charge at an Ado Ekiti Magistrate Court on Monday for allegedly defaming senior lawyer and founder of Afe Babalola University, chief Afe Babalola, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN).
Chief Babalola is alleging that Farotimi defamed him in his recently published book, “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System”.
Farotimi pleaded not guilty to all sixteen counts.
