EZEKWESILI TO BUHARI: You may ‘cage’ Sowore, but you can’t ‘cage an idea whose time has come’

A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili Saturday took on the Federal Government over the continued detention of the co-convener of #RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore, describing the President Muhammadu Buhari administration as one that was intolerant of criticism.

Ezekwesili, who was a presidential candidate in the 2019 general election, also described the AAC presidential candidate’s detention as unconstitutional and unlawful.

The former minister stated this on her verified Twitter handle, adding that despite the fact the constitution guarantees criticism, the Buhari administration did not allow it.

Ezekwesili tweeted: “We stand on with @YeleSowore and defend his constitutional right and freedom to protest any matter of governance that worries him. Mr Sowore’s convening of citizens to protest poor governance – via #RevolutionNow– is constitutionally guaranteed.

“Democracy and voice are Siamese twins. The good kind of Siamese twins. No one regardless of their position is given the right to shut down voices like @YeleSowore’s for daring to disagree. How long shall it take before the FG @NigeriaGov understands the basics of democracy?

“Our FG @NigeriaGov led by @NGRPresident @MBuhari may think they have ‘caged’ @YeleSowore because he dared to challenge bad leadership and poor governance through #RevolutionNow. Not so, actually. His idea can never be caged. Why? You cannot cage an idea whose time has come.

“@YeleSowore is unconstitutionally and unlawfully detained for calling out deadly incompetence of the @NigeriaGov of @MBuhari

“Not even the Judiciary is spared this spread of deadly incompetence. Here’s the thing. It is painful that @YeleSowore bears the brunt of the collective dissatisfaction of the citizens of Nigerians toward a grossly incompetent and intolerant @AsoRock.

READ ALSO: Army sends stern warning to Borno, Yobe indigenes sheltering fleeing B’Haram terrorists

“We must thank him for once again reminding us that: the power of the people is greater than the people in power.

“When the Citizens of Nigeria are ready, neither @YeleSowore nor anyone else need publicly mobilise them and be accused of “wanting to overthrow a government”. The citizens shall on their own rid themselves of a trenchantly incompetent and wicked political class. It’ll happen.”

Sowore was arrested early August and been in detention since then after the Department of State Services secures an order of the court to keep him for 45 days.

The Federal Government also charged him to court on Friday for treason, among other crimes.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now