Frame-Up Allegation: Why Obasanjo Should Not Be Worried – Falana

FORMER President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has been told not to worry that his rights would be trampled upon when he raised alarm of alleged frame-up by the incumbent administration.

This assurance is coming from Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana.

Mr Obasanjo last week raised alarm saying a plot to frame him up was underway. Banking on alleged anonymous sources the former president said his name was on the Watch List of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

According to Mr Obasanjo, his travail started after he urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek a second term in office, citing underperformance. His advise has been waved away by Mr Buhari who has declared his intention to run in the 2019 election.

The president recently accused his predecessor of frittering away $16 billion on phoney electricity projects. Mr Obasanjo dismissed the claim saying Mr Buhari was ignorant.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former president said the security of his life cannot be guaranteed with the government’s latest move against him.

In a swift response to the claims, the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, described the accusations as frivolous, alleging that the former Nigerian leader was trying to distract the government.

On his part, Mr Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the former president need not worry because he (Obasanjo) has the backing of the Human Right Community which would make his right were not violated.

He noted that in the case of economic and financial crimes, there is no way they can prevent the government from carrying out its investigation.

Falana insisted that while Obasanjo had stated that he was ready for a probe, the human rights community would ensure that his rights are not violated within the ambit of the law.

“General Obasanjo has nothing to worry about, we will ensure that his rights are not violated,” he said while reacting to the allegation when he featured on a programme on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics yesterday.

“We are going to adopt the same attitude when he and the late General (Shehu) Yar’Adua and others were tried illegally and sentenced to death,” Falana added.