Human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi, has outstrip himself from anyone seeking to mediate with legal notability, Afe Babalola, on his behalf in a defamation case related to his book “Nigeria and it’s criminal justice system”
Farotimi on Friday, says he won’t accept any mediation or plead for his release, and instead wants the legal process to unfold naturally.
The activist, who said this while speaking with his fellow human rights lawyer, Mr Tope Temokun, who visited him, specifically addressed reports of visits to Babalola by supporters, including former presidential candidate of the labour Party (LP) Peter Obi.
However, he warned those who visited Afe Babalola, including Peter obi, never to visit anyone to plead on his behalf.
Recall that the former presidential candidate of the labour Party (LP) Peter Obi met with nigeria legal luminary, Afe Babalola, SAN, in his chamber.
Obi had pleaded with Babalola to consider the situation of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi who is at the Ekiti prison.
Human rights lawyer, Temokun, told the saharareporters on Friday that they visited Farotimi and he denied sending anyone to beg on his behalf.
Temokun stated that Farotimi was being held in prison while his opponents were filing lawsuits in Ibadan, Abuja, Rivers, seemingly preparing for a legal battle.
He said, ironically, they were serving all court processes on a man who had been detained in a prison cell in Ekiti, where he could not promptly defend himself.
“He speaks calmly but with a loud message. He is unequivocal about it, that all he wrote in his book is the truth. One thing is clear from this visit and long hours of talk, that dele Farotimi knows things that the crowd does not know”.
Temokun explained that Farotimi stated that although he can’t dictate who Peter Obi visits in Ekiti, he never sent anyone to beg Afe Babalola for his release, and had actually warned visitors, including Peter Obi, not to plead on his behalf.
Farotimi wants the matter to follow its natural course, and has categorically rejected any attempts by others to beg for his release, Mr Temokun said.
He firmly stated that if he had included even one false claim in his book, he would ultimately lose, but since his words are rooted in truth, he will emerge victorious.
“Those who postulated that Dele Farotimi is reckless in his writings and documentations, should rather demand fair play and a leveled playground so that we could hear the other side”.
Temokun said that citizens should be interested to know what he knows as proof.
“Meanwhile, Farotimi remains incarcerated while his opponents are actively pursuing lawsuits in multiple locations, serving him with court documents in Ekiti prison cell, where he faces significant challenges in defending himself.
Temokun noted that a question that should bother everyone is this; this book has been out for some time, so why did it take so long to file all these lawsuits? Why did they have to wait until his arrest? Why did they have to wait until his remand? Why did they have to ensure he was kept out of circulation and his voice silenced before raising these issues? Why did they wait until now? Why?
He said, is this how jurisprudence works? Is this how history works? Has jurisprudence developed in this way?
“A man in cuffs and at the gallows yet some of us, in defence of Orthodoxy, accuse him of blasphemy instead of demanding justice for all parties involved. They are convicting and crucifying Farotimi without hearing him, even in his home city of Pilate.”
Mr Temokun added by saying; “The rain rains in torrents but it shall not rain for long. It shall be temporary. Soon, things will unravel, and the ground will be dried again.