The arrest of lawyer and human rights activist Dele Farotimi, sentenced to prison by an Ekiti High Court on Wednesday, has sparked widespread outrage. Former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, strongly condemned the action, describing it as a disturbing throwback to the oppressive tactics of military rule.
In a statement personally signed on Wednesday, Atiku expressed his dismay, calling the detention of Farotimi a “grim reminder of the dark days of military dictatorship.” He criticized the state authorities for involving law enforcement in what he described as a defamation matter that should be handled in civil court. “The Police’s intervention in such matters is nothing less than the use of a sledgehammer to swat a fly,” Atiku remarked.
Atiku further accused the current administration of fostering an environment hostile to free speech, likening Farotimi’s arrest to a calculated move to stifle dissent and intimidate opposition voices. “This alarming trend, particularly the abduction — or rather, arrest — of Dele Farotimi, is emblematic of an insidious agenda to suffocate fundamental rights,” Atiku stated. He warned that such actions are paving the way for a one-party state, eroding Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
Referencing his own experience, Atiku noted that in 2019, he pursued a defamation case through the courts rather than resorting to police action. He called for Farotimi’s immediate and unconditional release, urging the government to respect constitutionally enshrined rights to free speech and association.
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Adding to the condemnation, the Obedient Movement, a group of supporters of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, held a press conference in Abuja. The National Coordinator, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, labeled Farotimi’s arrest as a calculated attack on opposition voices and part of a broader strategy to silence dissent.
“We are aware of the one-by-one targeting of key figures in our movement, and we will not stand idly by while tyranny takes hold,” Tanko declared. He warned of nationwide protests if the government continued its crackdown, emphasizing that any attempt to arrest or intimidate Peter Obi would provoke a strong response.
The group accused the government of leveraging state institutions to suppress opposition while the country faces worsening economic conditions, including soaring fuel prices, currency devaluation, and rising interest rates. They called on the international community to closely monitor the situation and stand in solidarity with Nigerians in defense of democracy and human rights.
The arrest of Dele Farotimi has become a rallying point for critics of the government, with widespread calls for his release and growing concerns about the state of democracy in Nigeria.
