Prominent Nigerians, including Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and Catholic Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, have stepped in to mediate the ongoing defamation case between lawyer Dele Farotimi and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afe Babalola.
The case stems from allegations of criminal defamation filed by Babalola against Farotimi over claims made in Farotimi’s controversial book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. Babalola accused Farotimi of damaging his reputation, leading to criminal charges and Farotimi’s detention at Ado-Ekiti prison.
According to The Nation, Obi, accompanied by his southwest coordinator for the 2023 presidential election, Sola Ebiseni, met with both Babalola and Farotimi in Ado-Ekiti to seek a resolution.
During the two-hour meeting, Babalola reportedly outlined conditions for an amicable settlement, including Farotimi withdrawing his plea of not guilty and publishing a public apology in major newspapers.
READ ALSO: Emefiele, Ganduje, Yahaya Bello’s Corruption Scandals Make Top 100 Cases in Nigeria
Obasanjo and Kukah had also previously reached out to Babalola in efforts to mediate the dispute.
Despite these interventions, Farotimi has maintained his stance, insisting the case must be withdrawn before he considers issuing an apology.
The case is set to proceed in court, with a ruling on Farotimi’s bail application scheduled for December 20, 2024.
Follow Parallel Facts on WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
