Dele Farotimi: Afe Babalola Has Right to Seek Redress – Osinbajo Ex-aide, Akande

Posted by Thandiubani on Thu 05th Dec, 2024 - tori.ng

Akande, however, frowned upon the use of state machinery and police to harass activist lawyer, Dele Farotimi, over the alleged defamation.

Former spokesman to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande has reacted to the arrest and incarceration of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.

Speaking on Thursday, Akande said legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola, has the right to seek redress over alleged defamation against him, but frowned at the use of state machinery and police to harass Farotimi.

According to him, the action of the police is troubling.

Reacting, Akande posted on X, Akande wrote:

“One would like to react to the recent harassment and arrest of Dele Farotimi. The recourse to criminal defamation by a legal luminary of Chief Afe Babalola’s standing is not inspiring at all. The matter ought to have been pursued via civil means.

“The Nigerian Court of Appeal in 1982 in the case of Nwankwo vs. State opined that individuals ought not to use the instrument of state to fight their opponents. This is why Lagos and Edo states decriminalised defamation.

“Besides, it is truly disturbing to discover that our dear Pa. Afe may be behind the harassment of Farotimi—something that we have all seen on video. The use of the Nigerian Police Force, mobilised from Ekiti to Lagos to escape the fact that Lagos State has already decriminalised defamation, is so inelegant.

“Pa Afe, SAN, as he is fondly called, should consider the optics of what the world is witnessing unfold in this saga, in his name! The natural assumption, considering the speed and extent to which the police moved against Farotimi, is that there were some behind-the-scenes manoeuvres to warrant that.

“This is not to deny Pa. Afe’s right to seek redress. He is aggrieved, and we acknowledge his right to seek redress—this is without a doubt. It is his choice to exercise this right in the manner we have all seen that is unsettling! TROUBLING.”