‘Go to court docket not police’, Falana slams Akpabio for petitioning IGP over Natasha’s allegation
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Femi Falana has slammed the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio for petitioning the Inspector Basic of Police, Kayode Egbetokun over the assassination allegation made in opposition to him by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Falana stated in searching for redress, the Senate President shouldn’t have petitioned the IGP on the matter if he believes the Kogi Central lawmaker defamed his character.
Describing the matter as politically-motivated, Falana stated since Akpabio in his petition alleged character defamation and claimed that the allegation of assassination plot is fake, he (the Senate President) ought to desist from utilizing the Police to criminalise a civil dispute.
“Within the stated petition, Senator Akpabio, said that the alleged defamatory assertion is ‘solely false, unfounded and politically motivated’. To that extent, the Nigeria Police Power shouldn’t be requested to criminalise a civil dispute that’s ‘politically motivated,’” the senior lawyer stated.
Citing a few instances, Falana stated the Courtroom of Enchantment had cautioned public officers in opposition to utilizing state’s equipment to harass or intimidate their political opponents.
He additionally stated that the court docket additionally urged public workplace holders to make sure they don’t diminish from the liberty gained from colonial masters by resorting to legal guidelines enacted by them to swimsuit their goal.
Additional noting that public officers should be tolerant of criticism and the place a author overshoots his or her boundary, Falana stated there needs to be a resort to the regulation of libel relatively than intimidation.
He added, “In view of the above epochal phrases of the Courtroom of Enchantment, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio needs to be suggested to institute a libel swimsuit within the applicable Excessive Courtroom if he feels defamed by the assertion credited to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at a political rally.”