The 2023 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Federal Government of prosecuting human rights advocate Dele Farotimi under an alleged law that does not exist in Ekiti State.
He condemned this as a misuse of legal frameworks to silence dissent and target opposition voices, warning that such actions undermine democracy and free speech.
The former Vice president disclosed this in a statement released via his social media handle to mark the celebration of Human Rights Day on Tuesday.
Atiku, who cited the unjust detention of rights advocate Dele Farotimi as a clear example of the leadership’s stance against freedom of speech, argued that human rights violations are becoming more common as most leaders now operate with impunity, undermining democratic values and public trust.
Building on his concerns about Farotimi’s ordeal, he allegedly criticized the Federal Government for weaponizing the cyberbullying law to harass, intimidate, and silence opposition and press voices.
Meanwhile, the former vice president urged Nigerian leaders to honor their oaths to protect and uphold the constitutional rights of every citizen.
According to him, “Dele Farotimi, a lawyer and tireless advocate for human rights, now languishes in prison custody not for any crime but for the supposed “crime” of persistently speaking truth to power. His only offense lies in his unflinching commitment to exposing the truths that the government and its collaborators would rather remain hidden”
” More troubling still is the fact that he is detained and prosecuted under the guise of a law that does not even exist in Ekiti State. His plight serves as a poignant reflection of the pervasive climate of impunity and the blatant violation of citizens’ rights that has become all too common in Nigeria. Yet, perhaps the most alarming of all is the weaponization of the cyberbullying law, which is being used as a tool to harass, intimidate, and silence dissenting voices in the opposition and the press”.
” On this solemn occasion of International Human Rights Day, let us take a moment to remind our leaders at every level of government to honor the oaths they have sworn to protect and uphold the constitutionally enshrined rights of the people. Only through this commitment can we hope to nurture and strengthen our democracy”
