Agbakoba Slams FG Over Treason Allegation Against Peter Obi

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has berated the Federal Government over the treason allegation against the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Naija News reported that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had warned Peter Obi against inciting Nigerians to violence over the outcome of the presidential election.

In an interview with some foreign media organisations in Washington, United States on Tuesday, Mohammed said it is wrong for Obi to seek redress in court over the outcome of the presidential election and on the other hand, incite people to violence.

The minister said the statement by Obi’s running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, should not be sworn in as president amounted to treason.

Speaking with The Punch on Tuesday evening, Agabakoba said the minister was wrong for accusing Obi of treason, adding that the allegations leveled against the LP flagbearer were false.

Agbakoba argued that Obi and Baba-Ahmed had the right to express their opinion about the outcome of the presidential election, as they were just saying what they thought.

“Treason has to be accompanied by some very violent act. I don’t see how people can just make a statement about what they think should be done with Peter Obi, committing treason, it’s not treason at all. Treason is defined in a criminal code with a specific element and just to make a speech is not treason,” he said.