Rights activist and convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for advocating tolerance toward critics and political opponents during his recent visit to Benue State.
Adeyanju, in a public statement, praised Tinubu’s remarks urging politicians to embrace dissent and learn from critics instead of attacking them. He also commended the President’s directive to security agencies not to take punitive action against the man who confronted him during a recent trip to Kaduna.
Describing the President’s comments as a “welcome departure from the culture of intolerance and abuse of power,” Adeyanju called on political leaders, traditional rulers, and religious figures to emulate Tinubu’s message by safeguarding citizens’ rights to free expression.
He also criticized the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for allegedly being used to suppress dissent, urging them to stop targeting government critics.
Adeyanju further called on the President to spearhead efforts to decriminalize defamation in Nigeria, emphasizing that democracy can only thrive when citizens enjoy both freedom of speech and protection after expressing their views.
