An civil liberty activist and National Coordinator, Coalition of Civil and Human Rights Organizations (COCHRO), Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, has alleged that the cabal in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are the brains behind the non-release of pro-democracy campaigner and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Comrade Omoyele Sowore, after the order of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

He expressed displeasure over the continued disobedience of court order thereby “poking finger into the eyes of the law” by the Department of State Security (DSS) “on the directive of President Buhari and his cabal, saying that this has given a bad name to the country’s nurturing democracy among the comity of the democratic nations of the world.”

Reacting to the continued detention of Sowore, Sulaiman strongly condemned the DSS action after Sowore had met the bail condition on the order of the court of competent jurisdiction.

In a signed statement, the activist urged all lovers of the current democratic setting in Nigeria and well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad “to rise up in defence of our nurturing democracy.”

He further alleged that Senator Tinubu is “desperate and ready to sacrifice anybody who does anything inimical to his presidential ambition, even to the extent of becoming a slave to President Buhari and his “Cabal-in-Council (C-in-C).”

According to the statement, “It is very unfortunate that the self-acclaimed democrat and ruling APC leader, could not utter a word to condemn the anti-democratic posture of the APC-led Federal Government, all in the name of 2023 presidential ambition.

Also speaking on the ongoing intimidation and smear campaign against Sowore’s bail order by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Sulaiman maintained that it was tantamount to disregard for the rule of law which was foremost ingredient of democracy in any sane society, adding that the idea was primitive, barbaric, undemocratic, unconstitutional and ungodly.”

Supporting his position with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sulaiman posited that a suspect remain innocent until the Court of competent jurisdiction proves otherwise and the sections 161(1&2) and 162 of Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Act, posited that all criminal offences including capital one were bailable.

Commenting further on the alleged plan by the Federal Government to bring new charges against Sowore, Sulaiman, who doubles as Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), stated that it would also amount to abuse of judicial process and encouragement of injustice.

The right activist therefore urged the judiciary to reject all the further action of the DSS on Sowore until they show respect for the order of Justice Taiwo of Federal High Court, Abuja.

Update news