The remand of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore at the Kuje Correctional Center has drawn criticism from Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi, who called it a concerning setback for Nigeria’s democracy.
Obi’s response comes after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Monday that Sowore should be placed under detention while his motion for a stay of execution of an earlier court decision revoking his bail is heard. A motion for the judge’s recusal due to accusations of bias was also denied by the court.Obi voiced his concerns about what he called a growing trend of using state institutions to silence critics in a statement released on Tuesday.
“Sowore’s imprisonment is a grave step backward for democracy. The court’s decision to remand citizen activist Omoyele Sowore to Kuje Prison has deeply alarmed me, Obi stated.
“We must constantly watch out for any trend that gives the impression that state institutions are being weaponized to systematically stifle dissent, muzzle the press, or shrink the legitimate space for civic engagement in Nigeria, even though the judiciary remains the ultimate arbiter of justice.”The former governor of Anambra State emphasized that the defense of fundamental liberties, not the repression of critics, is what makes democracy flourish.
“The strong protection of fundamental human rights, particularly the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly as enshrined in our Constitution, is the foundation of a thriving democracy, not the repression of opposing voices,” he said.
Obi also cautioned that, especially during a period of economic hardship and instability, actions seen as limiting civic freedoms could undermine public trust in democratic institutions.
“Deliberate steps should be taken, even by the courts, to avoid inflaming the situation because our society is already strained by insecurity and biting economic hardship,” he stated.
He advised against considering government critics, journalists, and activists as threats rather than as participants in the democratic process.
“We signal a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism when we start to treat citizen critics, activists, and journalists as threats to state survival rather than as partners in building accountability,” Obi continued.
The NDC presidential candidate maintained that democratic institutions must continue to be dedicated to defending individuals’ rights and urged authorities to respect due process and constitutional protections.He declared, “If we keep undermining the very democratic structures meant to protect us all, we cannot build a New Nigeria.”
In the midst of mounting worries about judicial independence and dwindling civic space in the nation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) also criticized Sowore’s detention, claiming that the activist was being punished for peacefully exercising his constitutional rights.
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