On Monday evening, Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, paid a visit to legal icon Chief Afe Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University, in his Ado-Ekiti office. Obi was warmly received by Babalola’s senior aide and was subsequently ushered into a closed-door meeting with the renowned lawyer.
Sources indicate that Obi’s visit was related to the ongoing legal case involving human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi. The case stems from allegations of defamation made against Farotimi following the publication of his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, in which he claimed that Babalola had compromised the Supreme Court.
Reports suggest that the visit was arranged with the assistance of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, aiming to mediate an amicable resolution to the legal dispute. Following his meeting with Babalola, Obi also visited Farotimi at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre, where he had a session with the detained lawyer.
Obi’s one-hour meeting with Babalola concluded without comment to the press, as he left the premises quietly and declined to engage with journalists.
Farotimi was recently arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti over the defamation charges. The trial is scheduled to resume tomorrow.
In addition to the defamation case, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed a separate cybercrime suit against Farotimi before the Ado-Ekiti Federal High Court. Farotimi was granted bail by the Magistrate Court in the amount of N50 million, with the condition of providing a surety with landed property in Ekiti. His legal team is currently working on finalizing the bail conditions.
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