A legal practitioner and activist, Barrister Mayomi Afekuha, has strongly criticized former presidential candidate Peter Obi for allegedly attempting to undermine judicial authority through an emotional social media campaign regarding a property dispute currently before the court.
The controversy stems from Obi's recent social media post where he claimed that a property belonging to his younger brother was demolished in Lagos without legal justification. According to Obi, the property, which had reportedly stood for over 15 years, was demolished by unidentified persons acting on what he described as a "vague court judgment" that allegedly did not specifically mention his brother, the property, or contain any demolition order.
Lawyer's Criticism of Obi's Approach
In his response, Barrister Afekuha characterized Obi's post as "a biased and sentimental account carefully crafted to manipulate public opinion" on a matter that is currently sub judice.
"In one breath, Mr. Obi says the land belongs to his family, in another, he claims it's his brother's, and then he ties it to a company. So which is it? He has no legal proof before the court, yet he's attempting to sway the public with emotion," Afekuha stated.
The legal practitioner described Obi's actions as "irresponsible" and "a dangerous abuse of influence," warning that such behavior risks setting a precedent whereby high-profile individuals resort to public sympathy instead of following lawful processes.
Legal Status of the Property
According to Afekuha, "Mr. Obi is well aware that the suit number and court judgment in favour of Mrs. Olorunlogbon are clearly stated. If his relatives believe otherwise, they should contest it in court, not on Instagram."
The lawyer noted that Mrs. Olorunlogbon holds valid Certificates of Occupancy and a court judgment affirming her ownership of the property. He added that the legal process had followed due procedure, including repeated public notifications.
"Rather than seek a stay of execution or produce verifiable documents, Mr. Obi is engaging in a media trial. This borders on contempt of court and erodes confidence in our justice system," Afekuha warned.
Call for Respect of Judicial Processes
The legal practitioner urged Nigerians to respect the rule of law and advised political figures to refrain from politicizing judicial matters.
In a pointed reference to the 2023 presidential election, Afekuha stated, "Peter Obi lost the 2023 election. That chapter is closed. He must not drag the judiciary into political battles."
As of the time of reporting, Peter Obi has not responded to these criticisms.
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