Defamation: Obi Visits Babalola, Seeks Alternative Resolution To Suit Against Farotimi

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, on Monday evening visited the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, in his office located at the campus of the institution.

According to reports by the Vanguard Newspapers, sources close to the legal luminary revealed that Obi’s visit might not be unconnected with the ongoing alleged defamation case instituted by Babalola against the Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi.

The sources told Vanguard that the visit may have been arranged by a former president who is a close associate of Aare Afe towards finding alternative ways of resolving the defamation case against Farotimi, who is a prominent member of the Obidient movement.

Farotimi was last week arraigned before a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti over the petition written against him by legal icon Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, over alleged defamation in his book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Judicial System.’

The IGP, however, filed a fresh suit on Monday marked FHC/AD/CR/104/2024 against Farotimi before the Federal High Court over a 12-count charge bordering on cybercrime.

Even though the Federal High Court granted Farotimi bail of N50 million in like sum as surety, his team was still working on perfecting the bail conditions as of the time of filing the report.

As part of the visit to the state, it was also gathered that Peter Obi had some sessions with Farotimi at the correctional centre on Monday evening.