Free speech under Tinubu increasingly dangerous – Farotimi

Lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi has voiced serious concerns about the state of free speech under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, warning that it is becoming increasingly dangerous to speak out

Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Farotimi questioned whether Nigeria is still operating as a democracy or sliding into a form of military-style governance.

“It’s hard to tell whether we are in a democracy or a military dictatorship under Tinubu,” he said. “There’s a disturbing suppression of free speech and an eagerness to criminalise every form of civic disagreement.”

Farotimi, who served as a spokesperson for the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign, said Nigerians are not experiencing the democratic values President Tinubu claims to uphold.

“In this administration, there’s a dangerous ambiguity. It’s easy to forget the type of government we even have. The repression is real. I don’t know how much of it is directly from the president, but as the saying goes, when the fish rots, it begins from the head. Ultimately, the buck stops on his desk,” he added.

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