Pro-democracy campaigner and investigative journalist,
Omoyele Sowore, has called on Nigerians to continue to support PUNCHin every
way possible including purchasing copies of the widely-read newspaper.
In a post on his Twitter handle on Thursday, the rights
activist and Publisher of Sahara Reporters – Nigeria’s pioneering online news
platform – hoped that at least one million Nigerians can purchase a copy of the
paper each to appreciate PUNCH for all that it had done to promote rule of law
and free speech in the country.
On Monday – New Year’s Day – leading Nigerian newspapers had
carried a special message from the Federal Government to citizens, wishing them
a great 2020 ahead.
PUNCH, boasting arguably the widest reach of the pack, was
omitted from the advert train, raising suspicion that it could have been left
out due to its latest hard-line stance against the regime of President
Muhammadu Buhari.
In a stinging and widely-applauded editorial that echoed the
feelings of majority of Nigerians on December 11, PUNCH newspaper not only
condemned the unlawful detention of Sowore, Sambo Dasuki and many others held
arbitrarily by the Department of State Services despite several court orders
directing their release on bail, the media outfit also went further by
declaring that it would henceforth prefix Buhari’s title with his last rank as
a military officer – major general – in protest of his administration’s penchant
for ignoring the dictates of the Nigerian constitution.
Applauding the media organisation for that bold step and
calling on Nigerians to continue to stand by the newspaper, Sowore said, “Today
we decided to buy and read PUNCH Newspaper and hope at least one million
Nigerians can purchase a copy of the revolutionary daily paper.
“The PUNCH has become the newspaper of the people and we
have a duty to help sustain their conscientious style of reporting.
“We did this because the Nigerian Presidency decided in its
pettiness not to place an advert in PUNCH because of their uncompromising
position on tyranny, free speech and civil rights.”
Interestingly, since Sowore’s post on Twitter, PUNCH has
been a hot trending topic on the popular social networking platform.
The post has attracted dozens of comments and retweets from
prominent individuals and groups already.
Recall that exactly 13 days after PUNCH’s
brilliantly-crafted editorial supported by a sea of international pressure, the
Nigerian Government succumbed by releasing Sowore and Dasuki on December 24,
2019.
Sowore was first arrested on August 3, 2019 for calling on
Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better
country from the government and remained in detention until December 5 when he
was briefly released on bail.
On December 6, he was rearrested inside the Federal High
Court, Abuja, by DSS operatives and remained in custody until December 24 when
Malami gave the latest release order.
In the weeks following his arrest and unlawful detention, a
plethora of voices resonated all across the globe calling for his unconditional
release and right to freedom of expression.
The United States Government through the US Department of
State, leading lawmakers from the American society, European Union, Amnesty
International, leading and renowned scholars including in Nigeria were among
dozens of institutions, groups and individuals that condemned Sowore’s unjust
arrest and incarceration by the Nigerian Government.
His trial resumes weeks from now in a case brought against
him the Nigerian Government.
Sowore is being accused of insulting President Buhari and
planning to bring down his regime.
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