#RevolutionNow protest: Release Sowore now, Labour, activists, others tell FG

…Say he lacks capacity for revolution, poses no threat to national security

Human rights activists, lawyers, labour centres and pressure groups have rallied round the detained publisher of saharareporters.com, Omoyele Sowore, asking the Federal Government to without further delay release the detained activist as he lacks the capacity to execute a revolution as claimed by the authorities.

In separate interviews granted to The Daily Times on Thursday, the concerned Nigerians opined that the action of the Federal Government in detaining the presidential candidate of the Action Congress in the last general election and convener of #RevolutionNow protest was akin “to killing a fly with a sledge hammer.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in a statement demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Sowore and other protesters who were demanding for good governance, but were arrested by security agencies during the August 5 peaceful protest.

NLC General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, who signed the statement which was made available to The Daily Times, condemned the attacks and arrests of the peaceful protesters by security agencies.

While describing peaceful protests against bad governance or perceived anti-people government policies as one of the critical fundamental rights that expand the entrenchment and growth of democracy, he maintained that Sowore is one out of several Nigerians demanding for good governance being the minimum demand citizens can make from a government they democratically elected.

“It is with deep consternation that we view the attacks and arrests of peaceful protesters in some parts of the country by security agencies and military personnel on Monday during a protest by some Nigerians in Lagos, Osogbo, Ibadan, Abuja and other cities.

“There is nowhere in our constitution or laws that the security agencies are empowered to so brazenly attack peaceful protests and hound its organisers into detention as the right to peaceful protests, assembly and association is fully guaranteed by the constitution under Sections 39 and 40,” the NLC stated.

Similarly, founder and principal partner, Kayode Ajulo and Company, Kayode Ajulo, said even if Sowore used the word ‘revolution’ in his planned nationwide protest, it was obvious that he never meant a violent overthrow of government, as according to him, the online publisher does not have what it takes to organise a revolution.

“I know Sowore and what he stands for. He does not stand for violence and has no capacity to organise a revolution. The Federal Government should have ignored him or at most, use intelligence to follow him and his activities instead of picking and locking up a citizen just like that.

“Nobody plans a revolution and advertise it as such. Therefore, it was just a protest and the Department of State Services (DSS) should have known that. What is a revolution? The word should not be seen in the negative. In my office, lawyers do say they plan a revolution; meaning they want to win all their cases within a specific time.

“Therefore, Sowore should be released because there was nothing revolution in his planned protest as to lead to the breakdown of law and order, or even to overthrow a government as some are interpreting it.

“Like I said, he does not have the capacity to organise a revolution. He does not believe in violence,” Ajulo said.

Asked about the massive public followership enjoyed by Sowore and the potency of that in the mobilisation for revolution, Ajulo said the social media followership did not transform to votes in the 2019 presidential election that the online publisher participated in.

“I have stated earlier that he is not a person that believes in violence. Even if he planned such an action, Sowore does not have the capacity to plan and execute a revolution.

“If he had massive platform and support, he would have gotten more votes than the 40,000 out of nearly 30 million votes cast by Nigerians. So, the capacity, the followership is not there. Government should have ignored him in the first place,” he reiterated.

Also, a youth activist, Kingsley Iwok said it is pathetic for a government under a democratic setting to arrest and detain a citizen for exercising his constitutional right as enshrined in the constitution. He maintained that Sowore never called for a violent revolution; hence there was no need for his arrest.

“If you follow the history of the young man, he has always been very active in the fight against anti-people policies of the government. Even during the military regime of late General Sani Abacha, he was one of those who stood against the shenanigans of that government, demanding that they must respect the will of the people.

“Coming to the situation that we are now, a revolution can come in different forms; it can be mental revolution or in the form of street protests which he has the right to. He never called for a violent revolution which would have posed a threat to the government, so what was the arrest for?

“The government of the day is autocratic in nature and it’s very wrong. The continued detention of Sowore is an act of inhumanity to the young man which is not supposed to be so. I pray the government should take a pro-active action because the situation may degenerate to a total violence if he is not released on time,” he asserted.

Similarly, another activist, Olome Joseph, called on other well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Buhari administration to grant Sowore bail.

“The government should as a matter of urgency grant him bail because the freedom of expression and the right to carry out civic responsibility is enshrined in the constitution, so he has the right to protest against any policy of the government he feels its anti-people.

“He has the freedom and right to express his own view about the government. Every well-meaning Nigerian should rise and demand for the immediate release of Mr. Sowore by the Federal Government,” he said.

Among those against the arrest and continued detention of Sowore is renowned literary icon, Prof. Niyi Osundare, who condemned the act by the Federal Government and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the release of detained publisher of Sahara Reporters.

Prof Osundare, who wrote a note on August 13, titled: “Omoyele Sowore: Nigeria’s wrong prisoner (A note to President Buhari),” said that “no country that takes its future seriously; no country unafraid of truth; no country genuinely sincere about the war against decay and corruption will keep the likes of Sowore in prison.”

He urged President Buhari to focus more on tackling hunger, poverty, insecurity, corruption and disunity in the country, instead of seeing Sowore as the enemy waging war on the Nigerian government.

“Omoyele Sowore is not the enemy the Nigerian government needs or should want to fight, but the real enemies are out there: hunger and grinding poverty of the masses in the country of a few dubious billionaires, widespread insecurity of life and property, a creeping loss of faith in the very unity and corporate existence of the country, a political leadership that does not know how and where to lead.”

Finally, he emphasised that Sowore is a wrong prisoner currently languishing in Nigeria’s detention and he should be set free instantly.

According to Femi Fani- Kayode, former Aviation minister, Sowore has no arms and has not threatened to conduct an armed struggle or engage in an armed insurrection or to kill anyone, adding that “so this can only be a revolution in name and by words.”

In a piece he wrote later, titled: “Revolution in Nigeria, Sowore and the emissary of Satan,” Fani -Kayode said that every Nigerian has the legitimate and constitutional right to protest and demonstrate peacefully in a democracy, saying, It is NOT an act of treason to march against the President and to protest about the insecurity in the country.

However, a lawyer, human and child right activist, Sunday Essienekak, has faulted those calling for Sowore’s release, noting that the publisher of Sahara Reporters’ action is tantamount to treasonable felony.

He stressed that as a citizen of Nigeria who had once contested to be President, Sowore should have known that to incite Nigerians against the government is not what government can take with kid’s glove.

“Sowore as a citizen of the state (Nigeria) is not above the law. Nigeria is a sovereign state recognised by international law and Sowore in his standing should know that the action he took can tantamount to treasonable felony.

“He contested elections in this country, had it been he won the elections what would he have said if someone rose up to call for a revolution against the state. So if he tries to incite the populace against the state, you don’t expect the government to fold its hands and watch.

“Agencies of government are responsible in ensuring that such threats are not taken too far, and in their wisdom arrested him and arraigned before a court who ordered his detention. So let’s wait and see how it plays out since the matter is in court. If during the investigation anything incriminating is found against him, then the law should take its course so as to serve as deterrent for others,” he said.

When contacted, a former spokesman of the Buhari Campaign Organisation and ministerial nominee, Festus Keyamo (SAN), declined to respond to questions on the matter, saying “I have no comments.”

Our correspondents recall that Sowore had called for a ‘revolution’ against some perceived injustices in the country as well as bad governance which attracted the attention of the various security agencies of government which warned him not to carry out the planned protest.

But, citing constitutional provisions, Sowore said the revolution would go on as planned and used various social media platforms to mobilise supporters to the cause.

Thereafter, Sowore was picked by the DSS at a Lagos hotel two days before the commencement of the planned protest. He was subsequently charged before an Abuja Federal High Court on August 9, which granted a request by the DSS to detain Sowore for 45 days.

The trial udge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, said the DSS was at liberty to apply for renewal of the detention order at the expiration of the 45 days, and adjourned the case till September 21.

The DSS had based its application on the provision of section 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act and urged the court to allow it to retain the respondent in custody for 90 days, pending the conclusion of its investigation.