Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, has made explosive claims regarding the ongoing legal troubles of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi. Sowore alleges that powerful elites in Nigeria are conspiring to abandon Farotimi in prison over his defamation case involving prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola. Sowore’s statement, issued on Friday, December 13, 2024, has sparked further controversy and raised concerns about the influence of Nigeria’s political and judicial systems.
Sowore’s comments come after Babalola’s law firm, through partner Ola Faro, petitioned the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to have Farotimi removed from the roll of legal practitioners in Nigeria. The petition followed a defamation case related to Farotimi’s book, *Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System*. The book, which criticized aspects of Nigeria’s justice system, allegedly triggered the legal action by Babalola.
In his statement, Sowore condemned the actions as part of a larger conspiracy to silence Farotimi. “This was the plan from the onset. It involves a conspiracy between powerful judicial caricatures, the @policeng, led by IGP Kayode Egbetokun, judges, and so-called influential politically exposed lawyers,” Sowore stated, outlining his view of a coordinated effort to punish the human rights lawyer.
Sowore further accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of being complicit in the alleged plot to imprison Farotimi. “The goal is to abandon @DeleFarotimi in a prison controlled by them with the help of a kangaroo magistrate court, essentially fighting him while his hands are tied behind his back,” Sowore continued, claiming that a politically motivated judicial process was underway to lock up the human rights lawyer.
The accusations made by Sowore come after Farotimi was remanded in prison earlier this week. On Tuesday, December 10, 2024, a court ruling led to Farotimi’s detention after his bail application was adjourned until December 20, 2024. Farotimi had been arrested on December 3, 2024, over an alleged defamation contained in his book, which has become the center of the legal dispute with Afe Babalola.
Sowore has vowed to fight for Farotimi’s freedom, promising to ensure the human rights lawyer receives justice. “However, they got it all wrong! The fight will not end until justice is done,” Sowore declared on X (formerly Twitter), rallying his supporters to stand with Farotimi and oppose the legal action being taken against him.
The case has drawn significant attention to the political and judicial processes in Nigeria. Farotimi, a prominent critic of the government and advocate for judicial reform, has become a symbol of resistance against what some perceive as a politicized legal system. His arrest and subsequent remand in prison have raised concerns among human rights groups and legal practitioners who believe that the case may be an attempt to silence dissenting voices in Nigeria.
Sowore’s accusation of a conspiracy involving influential figures in Nigeria’s legal and political systems reflects the deepening divisions within the country. He has been a vocal critic of the government’s handling of political opposition and what he calls the stifling of free speech. The involvement of the Inspector General of Police and the judicial system in the allegations highlights the extent of the claims being made.
