Dele Farotimi’s lawyer, Tope Temokun, has dismissed claims that Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, was sent to appeal to legal luminary Afe Babalola in the defamation case involving his client.
Farotimi, currently detained and facing defamation charges stemming from a petition filed by Babalola, strongly denies any involvement in such actions. Temokun, expressing confidence in his client’s ability to overcome the legal hurdles, stressed that Farotimi did not authorize anyone to intervene on his behalf.
“He (Farotimi) stated that anyone familiar with his principles and history should outrightly reject the idea that he would send someone to beg in a matter concerning his published work,” Temokun explained.
“He made it clear that even I, as his lawyer, would disappoint him if I entertained such a notion,” he added.
Meanwhile, Daily Sun reported that Babalola’s law firm has escalated the matter by filing a 90-page petition with the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), requesting Farotimi’s disbarment. The petition, dated December 6, 2024, was signed by Ola Faro, a partner in the firm, who noted that it was submitted both personally and on behalf of Afe Babalola & Co.
This development underscores the intensifying legal battle as Farotimi remains firm in his stance against the allegations.