A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Femi Falana has slammed the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio for petitioning the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun over the assassination allegation made against him by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Falana said in seeking redress, the Senate President should not have petitioned the IGP on the matter if he believes the Kogi Central lawmaker defamed his character.
Describing the matter as politically-motivated, Falana said since Akpabio in his petition alleged character defamation and claimed that the allegation of assassination plot is false, he (the Senate President) should desist from using the Police to criminalise a civil dispute.
“In the said petition, Senator Akpabio, stated that the alleged defamatory statement is ‘entirely false, unfounded and politically motivated’. To that extent, the Nigeria Police Force should not be asked to criminalise a civil dispute that is ‘politically motivated,’” the senior lawyer said.
He also said that the court also urged public office holders to ensure they do not diminish from the freedom gained from colonial masters by resorting to laws enacted by them to suit their purpose.
Further noting that public officers must be tolerant of criticism and where a writer overshoots his or her boundary, Falana said there should be a resort to the law of libel rather than intimidation.
He added, “In view of the above epochal words of the Court of Appeal, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio should be advised to institute a libel suit in the appropriate High Court if he feels defamed by the statement credited to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at a political rally.”
