Sowore To DSS: You Cannot Dictate How I Criticise The President
Former Presidential Candidate, African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has slammed the Department of State Services (DSS) for asking him to delete a tweet he made about President Bola Tinubu.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that Sowore, on August 25, through his verified X account @YeleSowore, shared a video of Tinubu during a state visit to Brazil, and criticised the President’s comment that corruption is no more in Nigeria.
The former presidential candidate posted, “This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
Also, the DSS last week wrote to X Corp, demanding the immediate takedown of the tweet by Sowore.
According to the DSS, the tweet disparaged President Tinubu and posed a threat to national security.
Meanwhile, the activist on Friday said he received a formal letter from the DSS asking him to delete the tweet and Facebook posting.
But Sowore, in his reply, criticized the security agency for holding a brief for President Tinubu, adding that the DSS has no business telling how to criticize the President.
Sowore reminded the DSS that section 39 of the constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, to hold opinions, and to receive and impart information without interference.
He said, “I acknowledge receipt of your letter, which you stealthily dumped with a security guard at the office of my attorneys in Abuja, addressed to Abubakar Marshal. I find your horrendous attempt at holding an unwarranted brief for the President not only insidious but fundamentally defective, flawed in principle, and absolutely unlawful.
“You have no business telling me how to criticise the President. But, knowing the nature of your service, it is clear you have not learnt your lessons. Let me state it clearly once again: the determination of the Nigerian people to reclaim their country from thieves in power is unwavering. And it shall be achieved.
“Only the person defamed can sue. Therefore, your attempt to demand a retraction is an incompetent and unlawful attempt to hold the President’s brief.
“Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution requires the press to uphold the government’s responsibility and accountability to the people. Section 39 guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, to hold opinions, and to receive and impart information without interference. Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights provides the same.
“Even in the UK, sedition and libel laws have been repealed as archaic relics of a bygone era. The UN Human Rights Committee in General Comment No. 34 has declared a free, uncensored media essential to democracy. Courts across Africa, including Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court and the African Court in Issa Konate v. Burkina Faso, have ruled that criminal defamation is unjustifiable in a democracy.
“Nigeria’s own Court of Appeal, in Arthur Nwankwo v. State (1985), struck down sedition laws when Nwankwo was convicted for criticizing Governor Jim Nwobodo. The court held that sedition was unconstitutional and inimical to free speech. Justice Adekeye, in IGP v. ANPP, asked how long Nigerians must suffer under colonial-era public order ordinances designed to gag dissent.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
