Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of harassing citizens and opposing voices, including Dele Farotimi, with the intention to create a one-party-state.
Atiku Abubakar said the arrest of the human rights lawyer, Farotimi, was a reminder of the days of military dictatorship.
In a statement on Wednesday, Atiku stated that the use of police to abduct Farotimi in an alleged defamation case was an abuse of power.
“The arrest and detention of lawyer and human rights advocate, Dele Farotimi, is unequivocally condemned. It serves as a grim reminder of the dark days of military dictatorship when the iron fist of tyranny sought to crush all dissent.
“I am made aware that Dele is being accused of defamation — an offense that, under normal circumstances, should not warrant the involvement of law enforcement. The Police’s intervention in such matters is nothing less than the use of a sledgehammer to swat a fly, an overreach of unimaginable proportions,” Atiku said.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told President Tinubu that continued arrests of dissenting voices by his administration undermine the principles of democracy.
“This alarming trend, particularly the recent abduction — or rather, the arrest — of Dele Farotimi, is emblematic of this administration’s insidious agenda to suffocate the fundamental right to free expression.
“The aim is clear: to intimidate and harass citizens, particularly those who oppose the regime and the press, thus paving the way for the establishment of a one-party state. It is imperative to remind the Tinubu administration that these repeated acts of arrest stand in direct contradiction to the principles of democracy,” he stated.
He emphasized that freedom of speech remained a constitutional right. Atiku highlighted that defamation is a civil matter that should be addressed in the courts, stressing that he had been abused, but resorted to the court.
The former Vice President called for the immediate release of the human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
“Freedom of speech and association are not privileges but constitutionally enshrined rights. If anyone feels wronged by defamatory words, they are free to seek redress in the courts, not at the hands of the state’s enforcers.
“It is an appalling abuse of power to use the Police as a tool for personal vendettas. In 2019, I was defamed. I did not involve the Police to flex muscles and intimidate the defaming citizen, but I took the case to court where I am currently seeking reliefs for the injuries to my name and integrity. Therefore, I call for the immediate and unconditional release of Dele Farotimi,” Atiku added.