Former President Olusegun Obasanjo launches his book in the United Kingdom despite Abuja High Court injunction not to publish

Article by Dailytimes.com.ng

About two months after an Abuja High Court found him guilty of contempt for launching his autobiography in defiance of its order, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will on Wednesday evening present the book to another audience in the United Kingdom.

Also, the coming general election has continued to be closely watched by the global community as the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Nigeria on Tuesday expressed concern over its postponement.

Obasanjo is billed to launch the autobiography, My Watch, at the Royal Society of Medicine in cen­tral London. To be hosted by the Director of the Royal African Society, the book will be on sale after the launching.

Justice Valentine Ashi of an Abuja High Court had on December 10, 2014 found Obasanjo guilty of contempt, after the former leader defied the court’s directive barring him from releasing the autobiography.

He released the new book the previous day at the Country Club in Ikeja, Lagos. Justice Ashi gave Obasanjo 21 days to show cause why he should not be sanctioned for the alleged disobedience.

Judiciary workers across the country began a strike before the expiration of the deadline. It was not clear at press time if a new date had been given to the con­tempt proceedings against the former ruler.

A prominent member of the ruling Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP), Prince Buruji Kasahmu, who believes that the book dis­cusses him in an adversar­ial manner approached the court for an order stopping Obasanjo from releasing it.

Unfazed, the former ruler went ahead with the public presentation, al­though the court had grant­ed Kashamu’s prayers.

The PDP chieftain, a for­mer ally of Obasanjo with whom he is now estranged, approached the court to initiate the contempt pro­ceedings.

Obasanjo’s lawyer, Re­alwon Okpanach, said the former president would ap­peal the ruling.

He said the order, which the former president flout­ed, was given in error since it was not proven that the book contained libellous materials.

“The orders made can­not be enforced. They want the court to stop an act that had been concluded. That is impossible. We had published the book in No­vember, they came before the court in December and asked that the publishing be stopped. Is that possi­ble?” he queried.

Expressing their views in the statement made available to the Daily Times on Tuesday, the five –mem­ber APPG in the UK said it: “is deeply concerned by the disappointing decision to postpone elections in Ni­geria by six weeks.”

They reasoned that the “timing of this advice and the subsequent decision to postpone elections could hold troubling ramifica­tions for the political in­dependence of Nigeria’s electoral bodies and demo­cratic process.”

The group added: “In light of this development, the APPG on Nigeria calls on all stakeholders; in­cluding presidential can­didates, their respective political parties, and the electoral and security in­stitutions of Nigeria to re­main committed to holding credible elections in March and April.”

The Group said it wel­comed “the signing in Abuja of the pact on non-violence by presidential candidates,” and “hopes that Nigerians and the in­ternational community witness elections free from violence and intimida­tion.”

It concluded the state­ment, with a reminder that “the conduct and outcome of these elections will not only impact Nigeria, but its regional and international partners, including the UK.”

The APPG is chaired by Labour’s Meg Hillier MP (Member of Parliament ), and members include Chinyelu Onwurah and Conservative’s Richard Fuller.