Muftau Olobi is a Human Rights Activist and a legal practitioner, based in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. He speaks with our JUDICIARY CORRESPONDENT, KAYODE ADEOTI, on the continued detention of the principal convener of the botched #RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore among other issues. Excerpts:
Recently, the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, was attacked in Germany, the incident has generated lots of debates, what is your take?
Regarding the assault carried out on the former Deputy Senate President, it’s highly embarrassing not to only to Nigerians, but to the international communities. I felt terribly bad when I saw it on social media and I was asking, what would have warranted such treatment. Later, I got to know that he was attacked because he was wearing a cloth that has an inscription of Nigeria’s Coat of Arms. What other thing will a national figure need to showcase his loyalty to his country even in the foreign land? I was forced to watch the video; surprisingly, all those people that assaulted him are from his origin. They were not Yoruba, Hausa, but his people in the East.
What is the basis for the attack?
If he had not represented them well, he has been in the Senate for the past 20 years. They have ample opportunity to have changed him but they didn’t, it means his service is important and they still reckon with it.
The issue of #RevolutionNow orchestrated by Omoyele Sowore, has divided Nigerians, while some condemned it, others commend the botched movement, what is your position?
The imprisonment of Sowore, is illegal. The President of this country has once called for revolution, late Yar’Adua did too. I had flouted same too in the past. Buhari was not arrested for this likewise me. I cannot be arrested because I’ve not committed any offence by calling for revolution. Femi Falana SAN, the counsel to Sowore has promised to call Buhari as one of his witnesses on the basis that he has once called for it too and he was not arrested. Revolution in Nigeria is inevitable, there is no way we can continue in this manner.
What do you expect the revolution to cause?
The way Nigeria is being governed is against the norms of governance. I cannot contest in Lagos State now unless I dance to the tune of some people who think they are cabals; who have the whips and caprices of government in the pocket. I cannot live in Imo State for 30 years and be allowed to run for political office. I will still be regarded as Yoruba. In the past, we had Yoruba people who had contested in Imo and several other states and won. The Easterners have contested in the North and won, this is because they’ve seen them responsive and responsible to the welfare of the state.
Do you think Sowore should be charged to court…?
There is no how they can prosecute him. His counsel has filed an application for bail. What has Sowore done? He called for revolution which has not been demonstrated. The wife of the President has once called for revolution too; so, she should be arrested while his husband, the president should testify as witness in Sowore’s case for once calling for revolution too.
Recently, there seems to be lots of issues unfolding on the continued detention of the leader of the Islamic
Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky; can you put things in the right perspectives?
The detention is illegal in all ramifications and the executive know this. The High Court and Court of Appeal have granted him bail, the government is the type that doesn’t respect the rule of law. This government has an expiry date and it will soon come to an end. El-Zakzaky sought for medical treatment abroad because he has lost confidence in our health institutions. By the time he got to India, he discovered that Nigerian government had manipulated things to go against him; India government too, turned against him and he was brought back home. But, he was not given fair treatment.
Do you have confidence in our Tribunal as regards the matter before it instituted by Atiku Abubakar challenging Buhari’s victory in the last presidential poll?
I’m sure, with what is on ground at the Tribunal, Buhari cannot last the next one year; but if by chance he succeeds, because he has planted many people in the Tribunal, his government has expiry date. I won’t dwell much on this because the matter is still in court.
