EXTRA: Lawyer sues Sanwo-Olu for blocking him on X, alleges emotional trauma

Festus Ogun, a human rights lawyer, has instituted a legal action against Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, for blocking him on the microblogging platform, X.

In a suit filed before the federal high court in Lagos, Ogun said the governor’s decision to block him on X was “wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross violation” of his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination on the basis of political opinion.

The Lagos-based lawyer asked the court to declare that Sanwo-Olu’s action was unlawful given his position as a democratically elected public official who operates official social media handles.

The lawyer is also asking the court to compel the Lagos governor to issue a public apology to him, to be published on Sanwo-Olu’s verified X account, for the “gross violation” of his rights, as well as the “emotional trauma and mental distress” the action had caused him.

“A DECLARATION that, as a democratically-elected public office holder in Nigeria, the Respondent (@jidesanwoolu)’s blocking of the Applicant (@mrfestusogun), a citizen of Nigeria and resident of Lagos State, on X (formerly “Twitter”) is wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross violation of the Applicant’s fundamental right to freedom of expression,” the suit reads.

“A DECLARATION that the Respondent’s blocking of the Applicant on X. owing to the Applicant’s political opinion and criticism of the Respondent, is wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross violation of Applicant’s fundamental right to freedom from discrimination on the basis of political opinion.

“AN ORDER mandating/directing the Respondent to immediately unblock the Applicant’s X account (@mrfestusogun).

“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondent, his agents, privies or any other person or entity acting through or on his behalf, from further blocking the Applicant on X or any other social media platform wherein the Respondent operates official social media handles.

“A PUBLIC APOLOGY to the Applicant, by the Respondent, published on his X (formerly “Twitter”) handle (@jidesanwoolu) for the gross violation of the Applicant’s fundamental rights to freedom of expression and its associated emotional trauma and mental distress; not later than 7 days after judgment.”

The lawyer said he noticed that in 2021, Sanwo-Olu via his official X handle blocked him on the platform owing to “constructive criticisms of his policies and demand for accountability in respect of the October 2020 #EndSARS Massacre that was perpetrated under his watch”.