The Aare -Ona-Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams warned the federal government that any attempt to trivialize issues of agitation might set the nation on fire this came as he enjoined government to handle the arrest of Yoruba agitator Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho who was recently nabbed in the Republic of Benin by the Brigade Criminelle in Cotonou.
Gani Adams, decrying the arrest of Sunday Igboho lamented that the issue of self-determination didn’t come up overnight and that Igboho has the right to his freedom as there was nothing wrong in him to seek asylum in the Republic of Benin.
According to his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, Gani Adams noted that the Extradition Treaty of 1984 among Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin excluded political fugitives and that states where the fugitive will not get justice because of discrimination and/or undue delay in prosecution, the host country should not release the fugitive.
He went on to say that democracy thrives when there is a free and fair election. In other climes, transparency is an integral part of the election process. But here in Nigeria, it is a different ball game because we usually shy away from the reality of the present situation in the world.
Adams said: “I felt bad when the news of his arrest broke out on Monday evening and I started monitoring unfolding events. But I think the Federal Government should be fair to the young man because any attempt to trivialize issues of agitation might set this nation on fire.
“For example, the issue of self-determination didn’t come up overnight. It was a result of long years of injustice, nepotism, and corruption occasioned by bad leadership. So, the Federal Government will be making a big mistake if it decides to treat agitators of the Yoruba nation as common criminals or enemies.
“Igboho has a right to his freedom. There is nothing wrong for him to seek asylum in the Republic of Benin, and he is entitled to seek refuge in a foreign land if he thinks his safety cannot be guaranteed here in Nigeria.
“He is still a freedom fighter and had never been violent in the struggle. So, the Federal Government must stop hunting him around like a common criminal. He deserves his liberty under the law; that is why the Federal Government must handle his case with care. Besides, the government of the Republic of Benin must also protect him under the law.
“The Extradition Treaty of 1984 among Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin excluded political fugitives. It also states that where the fugitive will not get justice because of discrimination and/or undue delay in prosecution, the host country should not release the fugitive.
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“Now, Article 20 of African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to which the four countries were signatories made agitation for self-determination a fundamental right to be protected by all countries. This makes Chief Sunday Adeyemo a political offender who cannot be deported and/or extradited by the good people of the Republic of Benin for any reason.
“Igboho’s case is gradually exposing FG’s plan to clamp down on all agitators and that is undemocratic, and also capable of turning government to the tyranny of the majority, especially from a government that came to power with a lot of hope and support from the people of the South-West.
“The right to self-determination is also entrenched in Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on People’s Rights.
“Democracy thrives when there is a free and fair election. In other climes, transparency is an integral part of the election process. But here in Nigeria, it is a different ball game because we usually shy away from the reality of the present situation in the world.
“However, we cannot continue to live as if we are in the dark ages when there was no access to information, when there were no communication facilities like mobile phones and other facilities.
“This is the 21st century, and it is an information age where countries of the world live and thrive on information.
‘’Therefore, it is sad to know that our lawmakers, who daily use mobile phones, operate mobile banking systems with various network services, are now giving unnecessary excuses on the use of electronic transmission of election results. It is sad.”
