Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has described as ‘’disturbing” the arraignment of activist, Dele Farotimi, in prison for allegedly defaming legal expert, Afe Babalola.
Farotimi was arraigned before a magistrate court in the state for publishing a book “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” where he alleged that Afe Babalola corrupted the Judiciary and procured judgement in the Supreme Court. He pleaded not guilty to all the sixteen count charge.
The presiding magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, remanded the suspect in prison custody and adjourned till December 10.
Reacting to the development, Obi in a statement released on social media this evening. said the handling of the case involving Farotimi “runs foul of democratic norm that guarantees freedom of expression and innocence until proven guilty by a law court.” He stated that defamation is a civil case and wondered why the police is involved in it.
His statement reads;
”The handling of the case involving human rights lawyer @DeleFarotomi runs foul of every Democratic norm that guarantees freedom of expression and innocence until found guilty before a law court.
It’s curious that the Nigeria Police, who are struggling with a barrage of crimes all over the place, now indulge in civil cases on half complaints and rush to court at the speed of light.
Hearing that Dele Farotimi has been remanded in prison over an allegation of defamation is very disturbing. This development raises serious concerns about the state of justice and freedom of expression in our country, particularly when viewed against the backdrop of the alarming rise in criminal activities across the nation.
At a time when national efforts should be directed toward addressing pressing issues such as insecurity, corruption, and economic challenges, it is disheartening to see the focus shifted to cases that appear to stifle critical voices.
Matters of defamation are civil and should be treated as such, not turned into a tool for intimidation or the erosion of fundamental rights.
The strength of any democracy lies in its ability to tolerate differing opinions and uphold the rule of law without bias.
I once again call on the authorities to ensure that justice is served impartially and to prioritize the urgent task of combating the real threats plaguing our nation.
– PO”