The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the arrest and continued detention of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, describing the incident as a miscarriage of justice and an abuse of state power.
Speaking via a press statement, Obi said he was deeply disturbed by reports that Sowore was arrested on Wednesday shortly after voluntarily honouring an invitation from the Nigeria Police Force.
“At the time of writing, no clear or credible charges have been made public, which further casts a troubling shadow over the nature and motivation behind his detention,” Obi stated.
He stressed that Sowore’s arrest, particularly after presenting himself in good faith to law enforcement, should be condemned by all who value justice and due process.
“From all indications, no urgency or criminal flight risk warranted such high-handed treatment,” he added.
The former Anambra State governor raised concerns over both the legality and morality of the arrest, noting that “to detain a citizen who came of his own accord, without the public disclosure of clear, lawful charges, is not only a miscarriage of justice but an abuse of state power.”
Citing the Greek philosopher Plato, Obi said: “Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as it first resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.
“When those entrusted with power act unjustly, they poison not only the legal order but the moral conscience of the nation.”
He called on the Nigerian Police to immediately release Sowore or formally charge him in accordance with the law.
“Anything short of this would be a further erosion of public trust in the nation’s law enforcement institutions”, the former governor warned.
Concluding his statement, the Labour Party leader emphasised the need for equality before the law.
He said, “It is our collective duty to insist that the rule of law must apply to all citizens, regardless of ideology, background, or political alignment.”
