Controversy Erupts As Peter Obi Meets Afe Babalola Amid Legal Turmoil

Controversy Erupts As Peter Obi Meets Afe Babalola Amid Legal Turmoil

he visit of Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, to Aare Afe Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) in Ado-Ekiti, has ignited a firestorm…READ MORE…

of debate across social media.

The meeting, which took place amid a legal battle between Babalola and Dele Farotimi, a vocal supporter of Obi’s campaign, has sharply divided public opinion.

A photo of Obi in Babalola’s office, surrounded by several unidentified individuals, quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter), sparking questions about the nature of the visit.

The situation escalated when Farotimi, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer who has been outspoken in his support for Obi, was denied bail by a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti. Farotimi faces defamation charges brought by Babalola over his controversial book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Judicial System.

Moses Paul, an associate of Obi and a member of the visiting delegation, shared a post on X detailing the purpose of the meeting. According to Paul, Obi visited Babalola at ABUAD’s office to discuss a range of issues, including Farotimi’s legal troubles. He added that Obi later visited Farotimi in prison to offer solidarity and engage in a private conversation regarding the challenges Farotimi is facing.

However, the visit drew criticism from Omoyele Sowore, another 2023 presidential candidate, who reshared the photo and insinuated that Obi had gone to Babalola to plead for leniency in Farotimi’s case. Sowore condemned the visit, equating it to “forcing Rosa Parks to return to the back of the bus,” in a reference to the US civil rights movement. He accused Obi of undermining the fight against judicial corruption in Nigeria.

Moses Paul responded to the criticism, urging detractors like Sowore to refrain from making hasty judgments. “Those quick to judge should step out and move around instead of sitting comfortably behind a screen and commenting on social media,” he said. “I was the one sitting between Obi and Farotimi, and I know exactly what was discussed—it’s not what you’re claiming.”

Aisha Yesufu, a prominent leader of the Obidient Movement, also weighed in, questioning the critics. On her X platform, she asked, “What do you really think leadership is? Being a hardliner all the time? At what point did you see begging? Or is it that it makes you look better?”

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