High-profile Nigerians, including Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and Catholic Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, have intervened in the ongoing defamation case between lawyer Dele Farotimi and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afe Babalola.
The case was triggered by allegations of criminal defamation made by Babalola against Farotimi, following claims in Farotimi’s controversial book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
Babalola had accused Farotimi of tarnishing his reputation, leading to criminal charges and Farotimi’s remand in Ado-Ekiti prison.
According to The Nation, Obi, alongside his southwest coordinator in the 2023 presidential elections, Sola Ebiseni, visited both Babalola and Farotimi in Ado-Ekiti in a bid to facilitate a resolution.
The report revealed that during the two-hour meeting, Babalola laid out conditions for an amicable settlement, including Farotimi retracting his plea of not guilty and issuing a public apology in major newspapers.
Obasanjo and Kukah had previously reached out to Babalola in an effort to mediate the situation.
Despite efforts at reconciliation, Farotimi has reportedly remained firm in his position, demanding that the case be withdrawn before any apology is made.
The matter is expected to continue in court, with a ruling on Farotimi’s bail application scheduled for December 20, 2024.
