Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the arrest and detention of lawyer and human rights advocate, Dele Farotimi, is emblematic of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s agenda to suffocate the fundamental right to free expression.

Atiku, who said the arrest is a grim reminder of the dark days of military dictatorship, added that the aim is to intimidate and harass citizens who oppose the regime and pave the way for the establishment of a one-party state.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement on Farotmi’s arrest, also reminded the Bola Tinubu administration that these repeated acts of arrest stand in direct contradiction to the principles of democracy.

He said freedom of speech and association are not privileges but constitutionally enshrined rights, adding that 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.

Recall that Farotimi was arrested and detained by Police over an alleged act of defamation.

Reacting however Atiku said, “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.

“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.

“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,” he said.

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