– Rights Activist in Jigawa Arraigned for ‘Defamation’ of Gov’s Aide
The Ekiti Justice Group (EJG) has described the arrest of Mr. Lere Olayinka, media aide to former governor of the State, Chief Segun Oni, at the instance of the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi as the height of tyranny, adding that; “Those who love Governor Fayemi should warn
him of the consequences of intimidating opposition and turning himself to a tyrant under democratic governance.”
The group, which demanded an apology from Governor Fayemi, threatened court action against the governor should he fail to aopologise to Mr. Olayinka within 14 days. Olayinka was invited by the police in Ado-Ekiti yesterday on the strength of the petition written by Adaramodu, accusing him (Olayinka) of discrediting Governor Fayemi with his postings and comments on
Facebook. He was however released after spending over four hours at the Police Headquaters, Ado-Ekiti.
Reacting to the arrest, EJG said in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti today, and signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Tunji Oluwasanmi that “what Governor Fayemi has demonstrated by engineering the arrest of Mr. Olayinka is that he is a civilian dictator, who would have clamped all Nigerians in detention if he were to be the president of Nigeria.”
The group said it was particularly miffed that “Chief of Staff to Governor Fayemi, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu could author a petition against anyone for criticising the government when former Governor Oni never raised any eyebrow when he (Adaramodu) was making all sort of false
claims against him (Oni).”
“We are compelled to react to the yesterday arrest of Mr. Lere Olayinka, media aide to former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni.
“That Fayemi could engineer the arrest of anyone for exercising his rights to freedom of expression is to say the least tyrannical and it must stop.
“Our question is that; has Fayemi forgotten that it is only a court of law that can adjudicate in a case of defamation of character? If Mr. Olayinka’s postings and comments on Facebook were false and derogatory to his person as claimed, the only civilised option was for the governor or anyone so affected to sue for libel.
“Can Yemi Adaramodu, who authored the petition, tell the public how many times former governor Segun Oni got him arrested when he, as Fayemi’s spokesperson was publishing total falsehood against the person of Oni and his government?
“If Fayemi were to be President Goodluck Jonathan, does it mean that he would have arrested all Nigerians, and clamped them in detention during the Oil Subsidy protest?
“The arrest of Mr. Olayinka is illegal, barbaric, undemocratic, oppressive, tyrannical and an invitation to anarchy in the State, and we hereby demand that Governor Fayemi tenders an unreversed apology to Mr. Olayinka in particular and Ekiti people in general,” EJG said.
While commending the police for the matured and professional way the matter was handled, EJG said; “From the reports we got, the police was very civil, matured and professional in handling the matter and we wish to commend the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olayinka Balogun and his men.”
Meanwhile, a similar incidence was recorded in Jigawa State where a human rights activist and leader of Human Rights Checkers’ Association, Muhammed Ali, has been arraigned before a Ringim Magistrate’s Court over alleged defamation of the character of the Chief of Staff to Jigawa State Governor, Malam Aminu Ringim.
Magistrate Abdullahi Ibrahim Aliyu, who remanded Ali in prison custody, adjourned hearing on the case to today.
Ali was arrested by the police on Thursday last week and arraigned before the court in Ringim on a three-count charge of alleged criminal intimidation and dissemination of false information to mislead the public.
The third count charge bordered on defamation of the character of the person of the Chief of Staff.
The activist, who has been a critic of the Governor Sule Lamido’s government, was arrested after he allegedly petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the state government over a N3.5 billion compensation for township roads in Ringim, Miga, Maigatari, Gagarawa, Gumel, Babura and Auyo local councils.