Peter Obi’s Show of Statesmanship

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi last Monday visited the renowned legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) in his office in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. 

Obi’s visit was said to be connected with the ongoing alleged defamation case instituted by Babalola against the Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi. It was also learnt that the former Anambra State governor after visiting Babalola, equally visited Farotimi at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti, where he had a session with him.  Farotimi faces defamation and cybercrime charges in an Ekiti State Magistrates’ Court and the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti.

The defamation charge stems from allegations in Farotimi’s book: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,” that Babalola influenced Supreme Court judges.

Babalola had considered aspects of the 104-page book authored by Farotimi as defaming him and filed a legal action against the human rights lawyer.  While the Magistrates’ Court had earlier remanded Farotimi and adjourned the case until December 10, the Federal High Court granted him N50 million bail on Monday.

Though the court granted Farotimi bail, his team were still working on perfecting the bail conditions, as of the time of filing the report.

By Tuesday, the Magistrates’ Court reserved ruling on his bail till December 20, 2024. With the visit, Obi has shown that he is not only a statesman, but a man of peace. After all, sources said during the two-hour meeting between him and Chief Babalola, the legal giant reportedly gave the conditions to withdraw the charges against Farotimi.

According to media reports, the conditions are that Farotimi should retract his not- guilty plea and thereafter publish the rebuttal in major newspapers.

By his action, Obi has shown that he is a man who stands by his allies in times of trouble. 

This is why Obi should be commended.