Atiku Condemns Farotimi’s Arrest, Says Tinubu Govt Pursuing ‘Insidious Agenda’ To Intimidate And Silence Opposing Voices

Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, says the government of President Bola Tinubu is pursuing an “insidious agenda” to intimidate critics and silence opposing voices.

He alleged this in a statement condemning the arrest and detention of lawyer and human rights advocate, Dele Farotimi, calling it a calculated attempt by the Tinubu administration to stifle fundamental rights to free expression.

Atiku described Farotimi’s arrest as a grim throwback to the oppressive era of military rule, where dissent was systematically crushed. He decried the involvement of law enforcement in what he termed a civil matter of defamation, calling it an “overreach of unimaginable proportions.”

The former vice president cautioned that such actions were eroding democratic principles and fostering a one-party state.

He urged the government to respect constitutionally enshrined rights to free speech and association.

Atiku said, “The arrest and detention of Dele Farotimi serve as a grim reminder of the dark days of military dictatorship, when the iron fist of tyranny sought to crush all dissent,” Atiku said. “Defamation is not a criminal offense that should involve law enforcement. This is nothing less than using a sledgehammer to swat a fly.”

“The recent arrest of Dele Farotimi underscores a troubling trend by this administration to intimidate citizens and the press, particularly those critical of the regime. These actions are a direct contradiction to the principles of democracy and serve only to pave the way for authoritarian rule,.”

He gave example of his personal experience in seeking appropriate legal redress, recalling how in 2019, he pursued a court case against an individual who defamed him rather than involving the Police to settle scores.

“Freedom of speech and association are not privileges but rights guaranteed by the Constitution. If anyone feels wronged by defamatory words, the courts are the proper venue for resolution, not the Police,” he stressed.