Coalition of presidential aspirants demand Sowore’s immediate release

A coalition of presidential aspirants for the 2019 general election has demanded immediate release of the Publisher of an online media platform and activist, Omoleye Sowore from detention.

The Publisher of the famous Saharareporters. com, who also contested the 2019 presidential election, was arrested by agents of the department of state security (DSS) over the weekend for planning a ‘revolution’ march across Nigerian cities which he was against bad governance and other matters.

Daily Times is with a copy of a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, dated Monday 4th July, 2019 which was signed by Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, (All Progressives Congress, APC; Hon. Tope Fasua (Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party, ANRP) and five others to that effect.

In the letter, copies of which were also sent to the Senate President and Spaeker of the House of Assembly, Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila respectively, the coalition said the arrest of the political activist is illegal and therefore should be reversed without further delay.

The letter reads, “We, the Coalition of former 2019 Presidential Aspirants and Candidates, under the aegis of Third Force Forum, hereby demand the unconditional release of one of our compatriots, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, who was arrested by an agency of the government on August 2, 2019, pursuant to plans for a protest march across Nigeria; which is within his full constitutional rights toward “Freedom of Expression”, pursuant to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We must also remind you Mr. President, that in addition to the Nigerian Constitution, Nigeria also subscribes to other International Treaties, which prohibit violation of human rights of her citizens. To refrain from adhering to these national and international rights, is to invite anarchy onto the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“As you are fully aware Mr. President, every democratic government that subscribes to the Rule of Law, has time-tested methods of containing any breach of the peace during peaceful protests; without clamping down on our fundamental rights of “Freedom of Expression” and to peaceably assemble, in-order to address grievances by the government; even when those views expressed are contrary to the views of the current government.

“Therefore, we implore you to immediately order the applicable agencies of the State to immediately release Mr. Omoyele Sowore unconditionally, in-order to maintain peace in our country, and to deter further national and international repercussions on this matter,” the coalition wrote.

Apart from Dr. SKC Ogbonnia and Hon. Tope Fasua, others who signed the letter are Okey Samuel Mbonu, Labour Party-LP; Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikhubese, Alliance for New Nigeria-ANN; Dr. Emmanuel Etim, Change Nigeria Party-CNP; Dr. Ayodele O. Favour, Young Progressives Party-YPP and Hon. Clement Jimbo, Social Democratic Party-SDP.