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HURIWA says critics of Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi are anarchists

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Civil rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has lambasted politicians criticising the endorsement of 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, calling them “undemocratic and anarchists.”

HURIWA in a statement on Monday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group said the criticism by those who are opposed to the endorsement of Obi has shown that they would be “intolerant to dissenting opinions and could progressively become dictators.”

“The right to freedom of expression is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which sets out in broad terms the human rights that each of us has,” the civil rights group said.

“It was later protected by a raft of international and regional treaties. Freedom of speech or freedom of expression applies to ideas that may be deeply offensive.

READ ALSO:HURIWA warns G5 governors against endorsing Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket

“While international law protects free speech, Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) is replete with sections that speak to the necessity of all governments and individuals to accord the greatest respect to fundamental freedoms, chief of which is the right to freedom of expression in Section 39, which specifically provides that every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information without interference.”

HURIWA said the endorsement of Obi by Obasanjo is in order despite criticisms from other political parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The group expressed surprised as the APC presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu, was quoted as saying that he pitied Obi, as Obasanjo “cannot win his polling unit, hence Obi is at risk for associating with the former President and as such, the endorsement is meaningless.”

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