Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party and former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has visited Nigerian legal luminary, Afe Babalola, SAN, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State over the continued detention of a human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
It was gathered that Obi begged Babalola to have a second thought as regards the defamation and cyber crime allegations leveled against Farotimi.
Already, Farotimi has continued to languish at the Ekiti prison.
His case was worsened on Tuesday after the Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti refused to grant him bail.
At resumption of hearing on Tuesday, Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun, postponed the decision on the bail application to December 20. Immediately, Farotimi was whisked away to jail.
Obi was said to have visited Ekiti State on Monday from Lagos and had conversations with Babalola.
The former presidential candidate was said to have pleaded with the legal luminary to reconsider Farotimi’s case.
A message obtained revealed that Obi dedicated the entire day to meaningful engagements as he visited Babalola at his office within the Afe Babalola University, where they had in-depth discussions on critical issues, including the situation of activists and lawyer.
Obi was said to have proceeded to the prison facility where Farotimi is being held and also expressed desire to ensure parties find alternative means of resolving the issue.
Recall that the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, had on Monday granted N50 million bail to the human rights lawyer after the police filed the charges against him.
Justice Babs O. Kuewumi, presiding over the trial, had ruled that Farotimi be released on bail with conditions that included a N50 million surety and a guarantor possessing a landed property of equivalent value.
The case, with suit number FHC/AD/CR/104/2024, was filed by the Inspector-General of Police, alleging cybercrime activities linked to Farotimi.
However, Justice Kuewumi adjourned the case to January 29, 2025, for further proceedings.
While Farotimi was yet to meet the bail conditions, the Nigeria Police Force filed fresh charges against him, before the Federal High Court In Ado-Ekiti, over allegations of cybercrime.
Amid the trials, Babalola has come under intense criticisms as some called for the release of the human rights lawyer.
