Dr. Josef Onoh has cautioned opposition political parties to exercise caution when criticizing the Bola Tinubu administration in the midst of the ongoing public outcry that has followed prominent Southeast politician and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s harsh criticism of the Supreme Court.
Former APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesman Onoh has reportedly warned that while the law protects the right to free speech, there may be repercussions for remarks made by running mate Yusuf Datti and Peter Obi before and after the Supreme Court’s rulings upholding Bola Tinubu’s victory in the presidential election on February 25. Sahara Reporters reports that Onoh made these remarks.
According to the APC chieftain, such statements were in breach of Section 45 of the Nigerian Constitution which criminalizes sedition and treasonable utterances.
Going further, Onoh declared that unguarded statements from political opposition which appear to be inciting citizens against to the lawfully elected government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu would no longer be tolerated.
He said; “I want to sound as a warning to Datti Baba-Ahmed, Peter Obi, and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and all other Nigerians with political interest exercising the habit of holding that the Constitution guarantees free speech and freedom of expression. Section 45 of the Constitution, which allows for the derogation of the right to freedom of expression in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health.
The laws criminalizing sedition and treasonable utterances were made pursuant to Section 45 of the Constitution. Be assured that any further unguarded and inciting comments from any quarter will no longer be tolerated, and will be met with equal consequences within the ambient of the law. If you wish to dare our resolve, you will definitely not have the luxury to go and verify.”
